For a Knight's Lady
by EarthDragonette
Summary: A year has passed since Ash left to slay dragons for his Lady. Now together once again, will a journey and an unexpected guest give them the opportunity to conquer the ones that still remain? Ch. II.5 up!
1. Chapter I1

Although I posted this with my first chapter of my James and Poppy fanfiction, I'll post it here as well:

"I've been a fan of L.J. Smith for years, and one of the things that always disconcerted me about her Nightworld series was that we never got to spend a lot of time with the couples. Normally, they would meet, go through plot, and get together at the end with a sense of renewed purpose against the dark forces. There was really no time to savor the romance and the link between the two lovers, although there were usually some really intense scenes involving the soulmate connection.

Eventually, this led me to an idea for a set of fanfictions. My plan, at this point, is to write a story for each couple and flesh out their relationship a bit. All of the stories will take place within the frame of L.J. Smith's books, so nothing should really happen that could be considered "alternate universe." I just want to give each couple an adventure and a way to understand each other in a different light and context than they had before. With a _few_ of the fanfictions, I may have to take some liberties with the relationship and advance it beyond what was originally set down for us (with Ash and Mary-Lynnette for example). However, more or less, I'm just taking what the author gave us and running with it for a bit."

Okay . . . so, originally, as you can see, I'd intended to go through the soulmate couples one by one, efficiently writing each story and organizing them so as not to have a lot of them out at once. Well, my muse is being difficult and last week, as I re-read the original books to get back into the frame of mind to finish _In My Sight_, my brain (in addition to getting pumped up to work on the James and Poppy fanfiction) started to tackle my Mary-Lynnette and Ash story as well. I tried so hard to ignore it, but my muse would not be denied. As such, I now present you with the first chapter of _For a Knight's Lady_. I have no idea how updating is going to go this summer, but I'm trying to stay in a positive, disciplined mindset. Hopefully, this story won't be a carbon copy of the other eight hundred and forty-seven ML/A stories out there. I _think_ my conceptualization of their relationship is at least _somewhat_ unique. You can just review and tell me what you think.

Okay, enough with the notes – on to the story.

_**

* * *

For A Knight's Lady**_

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

" . . . and so, in the words of Isaac Asimov, one who also once looked toward the stars for guidance, I suggest to you today: 'If knowledge _can_ create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.' I challenge you: Keep moving. Keep learning. And always, _always, _remember that through it all, your keys to success will be through your efforts, your dreams, and your abilities. Thank-you, and congratulations, class of 1997." 

Mary-Lynnette, squinting slightly as the early afternoon sun slipped out from behind a cloud, stepped away from the podium amidst a thunderous applause and carefully picked her way back to her seat on the stage in front of her classmates. As Salutatorian of her graduating class, it wouldn't really have done well for her to trip after giving the opening speech. Settling herself as comfortably as she could in the folding chair, she glanced at her lap and began to lightly pick at the hem of her graduation gown, determined to keep her eyes away from the audience. If she happened to look up at some point and see an unexpected cap of blond hair attached to a lanky build, it would certainly not be because she was visually stalking the crowd.

Feeling the beginnings of the familiar emotional tug-of-war between desperate hope and staunch disbelief, Mary-Lynnette forced herself to look up at the principal as he gave a speech that was gooey with nostalgia and obviously intended to remind the recent alums of their future financial obligations to their high school. Despite the fact that his delivery was superficial and more than a little dull, she was determined to enjoy every minute of her exit from adolescence. If enjoyment involved appreciating the sophistry of a balding middle-aged salesman, then so be it.

_Considering they're both Caucasian males with blond hair, it's amazing how much he and Ash don't look alike_.

Well, so much for **not** thinking about Ash.

Inwardly sighing, she felt her reservations give and let her gaze sweep across the families and friends sitting around the football stadium. Although she could easily locate her family members, including Claudine, her father, Mark, Rowan, and Jade (Kestrel was in her graduating class, and thus, sitting on the football field with the rest of the students), she was disconcerted and disappointed that the observers were lacking one male vampire. Well, one _particular_ male vampire, anyway – who knew how many she actually had in her town? Recalling her anticipation before the ceremony, she brought to mind the conversation she'd had with his sisters while getting ready that morning.

_"You're kidding us. You honestly haven't heard a single word from him in almost a year!" Rowan exclaimed, nearly dropping a book about red giants._

_Blushing slightly, Mary-Lynnette concentrated on applying her eyeliner. "Well, we just … I never knew how to get a hold of him. And … he had some things he had to do. A lot of things he had to do."_

"_But, Mary-Lynnette, **we** knew where he was. You could always have asked us. If we'd even known that you two weren't in contact, we would've done more to let him know how you were or let you know how he was. We all thought you were at least communicating by phone." Kestrel leaned forward from Mary-Lynnette's bed, her amber eyes intent upon the human girl._

_Knowing that they wouldn't rest without some sort of explanation, she sighed and having finished with her make-up, turned to face them, leaning on her dresser._

"_Okay . . . I'll, I'll try to explain." Here she took a deep breath. "Last summer, when we first met, so many things happened at once-"_

"_That's when Aunt Opal died. And we had to deal with that horrible werewolf. And I met Mark," Jade stated with her characteristic simplicity. _

_Glancing at the young woman who was currently pooling her long, blond hair in front of her face to work an intricate braid, Mary-Lynnette could only nod and offer a small, but genuine, smile. _

"_Exactly. It was when I first found out about a lot of things. I guess I thought at the time that I could handle all the adventure life could give me – that I would be prepared for anything. When I met Ash . . ."_

"_You found out you were wrong," Rowan completed, shaking her head slightly. "But, Mary-Lynnette, it's been almost a year. Surely you adjusted to Ash and everything at least after a few months."_

_This was where Mary-Lynnette was in difficulty. Although it was true that she had gotten used to the idea of the existence of soulmates rather quickly, it was a lot more difficult to get used to **having** one – especially if you'd never really wanted one in the first place._

_Not to mention that he used to use people like her for food and cheap fun._

_Still, although she trusted and loved her vampire family, this wasn't something that she could just readily admit to them. It spoke of fears and insecurities that she wasn't ready to face – opinions and realizations that made her heart shake with fear, for she hadn't dealt with them yet. She hadn't contacted Ash in a year because she just simply **couldn't. **Not with what he was … with what he used to be._

_And to top it all off, she was in love with him, and wanted to be with him more than anything. The combination of her emotions was enough to make her cry – and it had – and the crying was enough to make her feel disgusted with herself for being a classic, romantic female._

_Given the circumstances, all she could offer to the vampire trio was: "Well, we've been busy. Ash understands."_

_Seeing that there was more to the situation than Mary-Lynnette was letting on, Kestrel only noted, "Well, I hope so. Is he coming for graduation, then?"_

_Mary-Lynnette shrugged, looking out the window for the twentieth time that morning. "I don't know."_

And so, now here she was, sitting on an increasingly uncomfortable stage in front of her peers, waiting for the acknowledgment that would set her free from the past and encourage her future studies, and feeling increasingly annoyed and worried that she had yet to see any sign of her soulmate.

"Mary-Lynnette Carter."

Jumping out of her chair, she hurried over to her principal to shake his hand. Walking back to her seat, she opened up the red certificate holder, already knowing that the inside would be empty – the actual diplomas were held until final grades were turned in. It seemed morbidly ironic to her how the schools handed out containers of promises, covering the uncertainty of success with glamour and romanticism.

It sounded an awful lot like how relationships worked, too.

* * *

Ash Redfern sighed and ran his hand through his hair, doing more to dishevel it than to comb it out of his eyes. He leaned forward to rest his forehead on the steering wheel of his convertible, wondering for the hundredth time why he was parked in the middle of the forest.

And for the hundredth time, his brain answered: _Because you suck at life._

Losing patience with just sitting, he threw open the driver side door and smoothly climbed out, slamming the car shut and striding off into the woods in a random direction.

As Ash walked, he began to pick up speed until he was jogging at a comfortable pace, his footsteps remaining nearly silent on the damp, Oregon soil. The exercise did him good – it was one of the many things he had learned about himself since he'd last set foot in these woods.

_"Aren't you getting a crick in your neck?" he'd asked._

_Mary-Lynnette rolled her head from side to side slightly to limber the muscles. "Maybe."_

_Captivated by the movement of her dark hair against her tanned neck and shoulders, he couldn't help but offer: "I could rub it for you?"_

_Mary-Lynnette snorted and gave him a look._

_Feeling the sting of her rejection, he was at a loss of what to do next. He'd already overstepped some sort of boundary, it'd seemed, and it felt awkward to backtrack. But he had to try something . . . she was his **soulmate** for Pete's sake . . . _

"_You want to take a walk?" she'd suddenly asked, turning her clear, blue eyes on to him._

_Do I want to what?_

"_Huh? Sure."_

That felt like it'd happened so long ago.

And what had really changed? He was still a vampire, she was still a human. He still had a rather notorious past when it came to his interactions with humans; she still had dreams for the future that didn't include being tied down to a vampire with a reputation. Granted, in the time since he'd seen her he'd left the Nightworld, joined Circle Daybreak, helped to save and rescue hundreds of humans, witches, vampires, and shapeshifters from various Nightworld and natural oppressions . . .

So many, in fact, that their faces, names, and personalities blurred and kept him awake at night.

But how much did it matter? How could he begin to make up for all of the blood he'd spilled and pain that he had caused? On one hand, although he hadn't leveled cities or destroyed entire civilizations (as some vampires in the past had been wont to do), he _had_ treated the human species as cattle … or worse.

Cattle didn't have the complex emotions that humans did – emotions that Ash had used to his advantage time and time again, night after night.

But not since this time a year ago. Not since he'd met Mary-Lynnette. She'd touched him like no other, and after their minds had first united in her family's living room, he'd known that there would never be another for him. Oh, he'd fought it of course, tried to make the feelings go away, tried to get all of the dizziness, sparks, and colors to fade past his memory. But in the end fate had won out, solidly trapping him into her web of inevitability, ensuring that from that very first moment, Ash's purpose, his _life_, would be for protecting Mary-Lynnette and making her happy.

It was why he'd had to leave. He knew that she'd felt many of the same things that he had: the sensation of being pushed together, as if it was simply wrong that their souls were in two separate containers. Those feelings had frightened her, made her vulnerable in ways that she'd never dreamed or even wanted. It was for her sake that he'd left to begin the uphill climb toward forgiveness. It was both a gift and a curse to be bound to such a morally upright soulmate.

Feeling his memories turn down a distinctly uncomfortable path, Ash launched himself up the next tree that he came to, a large cottonwood, pushing his muscles as hard as he could to climb his way to a large branch. Pulling himself up, he swung into a sitting position and rested his back against the trunk. Sighing, he looked across the rapidly dimming forest, his eyes easily adjusting to the change in light.

Just like Mary-Lynnette's never would … even if she wanted to see the night more than he did.

_Nice, Ash. Are you going to beat yourself up about that, too?_

_... Well, yes._

The fact of the matter was, when it came down to it, besides an all consuming and possessive love, he didn't feel much _besides _guilt when it came to thinking about Mary-Lynnette. It was almost as if any shame he could have felt for any of his actions throughout his entire life had been deposited into one subject area. Although it was nicely organized, it made it rather difficult to view the relationship with a healthy mindset.

When he'd first left Briar Creek a nearly year ago, he'd been positive. He knew that there would be a tough road ahead of him, and although he sensed that Mary-Lynnette wasn't sure she could believe in him, he also felt that she _wanted_ to believe, and that was enough to keep him moving.

It hadn't been easy. As soon as he'd returned to his father's enclave, he'd been swept up by his obligations and responsibilities to the family. Unable to return to his past way of life where he partied until dawn and then recuperated during the daylight hours (thus avoiding his duties as heir), his family had taken his change in lifestyle as an opportunity to integrate him into their activities.

It was only a month or so into the work that Ash realized how badly he was failing in his promise to Mary-Lynnette. Although he was no longer actively _harming_ humans, working out trade agreements with other lamia clans and helping to run his family's estates was in no way a form of repentance. While he was walking alone one night through the streets of Annapolis (he had arranged to meet a number of landowners to discuss some property by the Chesapeake Bay), fate finally found a way to get his attention.

Meandering down Pinkney Street and heading toward the city docks, he had felt some sense of danger in the area. Peering into the darkness, he saw a number of figures clustered up by the side of a building and heard the sound of a woman crying. Moving quietly and quickly, he leapt to the top of some stairs, balancing himself on the railing, and peered over the group to get a better look.

Even now, eight months later, the sounds of the young woman's cries burned into Ash's memory, and the sight of what had been about to take place made his blood boil. Without a second thought, he'd jumped down to the middle of the group and given each and every man a thrashing they would never forget. He didn't know what had possessed him to defend the woman so harshly. Perhaps it was because she was vulnerable and delicate. Perhaps it was because she had brown hair, just like Mary-Lynnette's. Perhaps it was because the situation was just _wrong_. Whatever had pushed him, however, the look in her eyes when he'd helped her to her feet had filled in the missing piece. He had never had someone look at him that way before, with her eyes full of admiration and a savage gratefulness.

He had never been a hero before.

After helping her home, he'd turned around and promptly left Annapolis. He knew then that his destiny did not lie with helping the Redfern family prosper and grow wealthier and more secure. It wouldn't be enough to train his mind and body if he wasn't actually _using_ them for anything.

And hadn't he promised Mary-Lynnette that he would slay dragons for her? Like any Knight would do to protect his Lady and make her proud? And that's what she _was_ to him, right? She was the one that had saved him, the one that he needed to be better for. For Mary-Lynnette, he _needed _to slay those dragons.

"_What a line!" _She'd said to him last year.

But he'd meant for it to come true. The morning after that dark night, he'd joined Circle Daybreak. He would help to defeat the biggest dragon of all, the one that hurt and manipulated people like Mary-Lynnette in the so-called name of security and preservation.

For his Lady, he would slay the Nightworld.

* * *

Mary-Lynnette flopped down on her bed, gazing up at the glow-in-the-dark planets and constellations she'd stuck on her ceiling sometime during her childhood. Tracing the formation of the Big Dipper with her eye, she let her thoughts wander over her memories of the ceremony and the after-graduation party. 

Overall, she supposed she was pleased with how the events of the day had progressed. The graduation had been a milestone and, well, milestone-y. The party …

Mary-Lynnette rolled on to her stomach, tucking a pillow underneath her head and staring at her giant relief map of the moon. Rubbing her chin against the pillowcase, she processed what she was feeling before forming solid thoughts.

_The party was fun_, she decided. Although she had long ago written off Claudine as any form of parental or authority figure, she had to hand it to her stepmother – the woman knew how to plan and carry out a social event. The caterers had arrived and set up without a hitch and the D.J. had not only been on time, but he'd played more than just the bump-and-grind music that was so popular with her age group. Their house, not exactly small by any standards, had become incredibly tiny in the span of fifteen minutes as her numerous relatives showed up to wish her congratulations on her graduation and her acceptance into Cornell University for the fall. After several hours of mingling, present opening, and dancing, she'd retreated to her inner sanctum, leaving her parents as they finished cleaning up.

Feeling restless, she flopped over on to her back again, this time tracing the series of photographic prints on the eastern wall. Yes … the party had been nice, but-

_But what?_

She sighed, holding back the inevitable moment for just a second more before walking right up to the Truth and letting it kick her where she deserved it the most.

But, Ash wasn't there.

Wrinkling her nose, she sat up, lifting her long, brown hair off her neck and tying it away from her face. Pulling her legs up to her chest, she gazed out her window, feeling annoyed and ruffled.

_Mary, Mary, quite contrary.  
__How does your garden grow?_

"With stars at night, and northern lights,  
And a vampire soulmate who didn't come into town to see me for my graduation."

_Okay, well, now that **that's** over with, let's try to be a little more adult about this. _

If she were being honest with herself, and she always tried to be, then Mary-Lynnette would have to accept that for the past year, even as she'd tried to remain distanced from Ash and their relationship, she'd only grown closer to his memory. Every day, right before she woke up and was just hovering on the brink between the dream world and the real world, she could always feel his presence, and occasionally get a sense for how he was doing. That was another reason she'd never had his sisters seek him out – she already knew if he was sick or well, tired or rested.

These little sojourns into his mind had disturbed her at first – there had been so much darkness, so much fear inside of his heart. Then, as the months passed, she began to notice a change in him. She didn't know exactly _what_ was doing it, but somehow, amazingly, Ash was conquering some of his fears and changing into something that was more filled with hopeful light, and less filled with darkness. Over the months, she'd grown so proud of his progress, and, day-by-day, had loved him even more.

Not that the darkness didn't remain, however.

As such, even as Mary-Lynnette began to painfully hope that he would return to her with dragons and demons laid as trophies before his feet, she couldn't help but doubt him and his abilities to overcome his nature – to overcome what he had been. Therefore, it was with equal parts belief and equal parts skepticism that she'd waited for him today. She was terribly annoyed and depressed that he'd disappointed her.

_Never mind that he didn't actually KNOW you were graduating. It's not like you told him_, her mind pointed out.

_But Kestrel was graduating, too, and he should have come for her_, she argued back.

_What if he stayed away because of you? What if something (someone) else made him happier all these months? What if he decided he DIDN'T wish he were human after all?_ – This from another, nastier part of her mind.

_Oh, God, Mary-Lynnette, you're talking to yourself._

"That's it. Time to go outside."

Shaking her head, she quickly stood up and pulled on a comfortable pair of sneakers, grabbing her keys as she went out the door. Thumping down the steps, she waved to Mark and Jade, both sitting on the couch watching some primitive and stagnating form of entertainment.

"Scientists say that Americans watch over 250 billion hours of T.V. each week. Go read!" she shouted, slamming the door behind her.

Through the wood, she could barely hear Mark retaliate, "I have five hours left to make my quota!"

It was an old argument.

Getting into her new car, purchased by her father a year ago after her original vehicle had been set on fire by a territorial werewolf, Mary-Lynnette started the engine and drove out to the hill, all of these actions done on autopilot since she'd done them so many times over the years.

Climbing out of the car, she decided against pulling out her telescope and settled for simply laying on the hood, gazing upwards and letting herself become absorbed by the universe. Noticing Venus, she kept herself from looking below the planet to search for some sign of the Ring Nebula.

Or, as Ash had so aptly described it, the "ghost doughnut."

_You know, you sort of stink at this whole "not thinking about Ash" thing, she thought._

Becoming thoroughly disgusted with herself, she slid off the car and moved to get her telescope out, anyway. Maybe if she set it up – looking AWAY from Venus – she'd actually get in some good sights tonight. Maybe if she could drown herself in a far away galaxy, she wouldn't feel the constant pull on her heart for a graceful, cat-like youth.

Just as she was opening up her trunk, she felt it. The connection. Maybe it was because she'd been expecting it all day, or maybe it was because she had gotten used to it throughout a year of dreams, but she felt the soulmate chord tug at her impatiently, the white-hot jolt making her look up.

And on the other end of it, standing not more then twenty feet away, was Ash.

* * *

So, there we have it – the end of my first contribution to the Mary-Lynnette and Ash fanfiction world. I hope that this was enjoyed by all – getting into Ash's mind is a lot of fun, and I have a ton of ideas where I'd like this story to go.

Now, although I may not review it due to infrequent updating on my other story, I humbly beg you to please review!


	2. Chapter I2

Hello again! Here we are with the next chapter, and I have to say up front, that I tried _really_ hard to keep the entire thing in character. Some of it was difficult, and I think one thing you'll notice is that Ash is more somber than we're used to seeing him. My impression is that it's due to the context of this part, and we should see him back to full wisecracking form by Chapter Three.

I want to thank the following people for reviewing, and just give a little response to each commentary. I really appreciate the votes of confidence, and I even went back and changed a couple things that were brought to my attention about Chapter I – one of them being the timeline of this story. I meant for it to take place in the spring of Mary-Lynnette's senior year, but that would only be about ten months after Ash left, not thirteen, as I was originally thinking.

amber-rules: As always, I love reading your reviews. You're such a voice of support, and I know I can count on you to let me know how the writing's coming along. Thanks for coming along with me on this story, too!

crystleflys: That's such a lovely compliment! I'd never try to fully match L.J. Smith in style, but I'm really glad that you can accept my version of it!

Hananiah: Ah, the blending of past and present. I was really pleased with myself for bringing in quotes from _Daughters of Darkness_ – it's awesome to know that it was so well received!

angel: With this story, my feeling is that it'll probably remain at a PG-13 rating. With all of the issues that Mary-Lynnette and Ash have to work through, I think that something as intimate as sex will be a long ways off for them. I'm not much of a lemon writer, so anything physical that takes place between them will probably be viewed through more spiritual/emotional connections. With respect to my other story, however (which I noticed that you also read), I can guarantee you that Poppy and James will be taking their relationship to the next level. The telling of it, however, will also be from an emotional/spiritual context. Therefore, I can't keep out all of the kissing, but it won't be terribly graphic, either.

sweettooth: You gave me so many compliments; I don't know which one to respond to! Thank-you for them all, and I'll keep trying to live up to your expectations! Your review was wonderful to receive.

filanvampire: I think all of the maturity in this story comes from me leaving my immature ideas in my _Inuyasha_ fanfiction world. I'm so happy that you're enjoying the tale.

SpiritofEowyn: It's fine to ask me to update quickly . . . I just can't guarantee that I _will._ My muse, she is a finicky creature! Still, things seem to be flowing well for the time being, and although it's not quite as present in this chapter, there is plenty more humor to come!

Lunatic: Thank-you so much for catching me on the graduation procedure. I actually didn't have either one at my own high school commencement, so I wasn't even considering protocol. As such, I went back and changed Mary-Lynnette to Salutatorian. Although I think her character would have pushed her to be the first in the class, I just couldn't take away the musings she had during the ceremony. If anybody asks, I can just say she was busy making star charts during the year and the other guy beat her by a hundredth of a point.

And now, on to the meeting of the soulmates.

**_

* * *

For A Knight's Lady_**

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

He knew that she'd be on her hill tonight. He couldn't explain _how_ it was that he knew, since it wasn't as though she went every night. Still, after spending a good hour sulking in his tree, he'd had the feeling that he would find her stargazing. Maybe it was just because he knew _her_. Either way, after gathering up his courage, he'd made the assent to her viewing point and found her rummaging about in the trunk of her car. 

_That must be the new one her father got her_, he thought, remembering the unfortunate demise of the station wagon.

In the time since he'd left her, he'd imagined their reunion on more than one occasion. Hundreds, if the truth would be known. He'd envisioned walking up to her while she was relaxing in a hammock, pulling her out of class at school, or following her on a family trip to catch her in a moment of privacy. So many scenarios and so many dreams later, he found himself almost where they started – on a dark hill, late at night.

_All right Casanova, so NOW what do you do?_

He didn't have a clue. All he could manage was to stare at her, captivated by the wave of her hair, the sound of her heartbeat. He stood there for long moments, watching her arms push aside various items in the trunk, most likely trying to unearth the telescope she always carried with her. Or maybe it was a new one?

_Did the old one burn in the fire, too? I can't remember._

Lost in random, procrastinatory thoughts, the decision to act or not to act was taken out of his hands as he saw her back tense and her movements cease. Only an instant behind her, he felt the soulmate chord burn, tugging on each of them as it tried to bring them together. Having stopped her motions entirely, Mary-Lynnette turned around to face him, a fierce light blazing in her blue eyes.

_Oh, crap._

_Okay, think. Quick. Think. Words. Forms of communication. You can do this._

"Er . . . soft you now, the fair Mary-Lynnette."

**_Hamlet?_**_ You're gone for months and the first thing out of your mouth to your soulmate is a line from a tragic play? Great, Ash. Just great. If you really want to make her swoon, maybe you should suggest that she 'get herself to a nunnery.' _

There was a long pause while Mary-Lynnette steadily looked at him, before a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "You don't _really_ expect me to answer with, "Good my Lord, how does your honor for this many a day?"

_She **would** have memorized that play, too. _

Deciding not to answer her directly, he changed the subject, slowly moving toward her. "Is there any work of literature that you _can't_ quote from?"

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she looked down to hide her chuckle. "Well, yes. You just don't seem to pick the ones I don't know."

Walking up closer to Mary-Lynnette, now only standing a couple of feet away, Ash's senses were swamped by her presence. After being denied his other half for so long, his mind, body, and soul were doing all they could to show him that _this_ was the person that it needed to be with and that _this_ was the soul he needed to stay next to.

_As if I could forget_, he thought, vaguely ruffled at the chord's insistent tugging.

The smell of her jasmine shampoo, the sparkle of deep intelligence in her eyes, her limbs – a little paler than when he last saw them, and her voice – so melodic and filled with life (or was that annoyance?), all of these parts of her worked their way towards him, pulling him closer to her. Although he wasn't directly connected to it, he could _feel_ her soul tremble; he knew she had to be experiencing something similar.

_

* * *

_

_So he's been here all along._

Mary-Lynnette was absolutely certain of that fact. Although he did have the rumpled-traveler look that reminded her of a housecat recently shoved out of his favorite, but inconvenient, napping spot, she sensed that it was hours old and that he'd been in town since sometime that afternoon.

Leaning back against her car, she tried her best to get a hold of herself and the multitude of feelings that were coursing through her. Absolute elation. Intense nervousness. Significant irritation because he'd taken so long to show up. Fear that he was going to leave. Fear that he was going to stay. The general desire to jump on top of him to give him an even _more_ rumpled look.

_Whoa. Where'd THAT come from?_

_Get a grip, Mary-Lynnette._

Slightly disconcerted by his silence and the intense way that they kept looking at each other, Mary-Lynnette cleared her throat and looked away. "Um. So … when did you read _Hamlet?_ An after-party recovery session?"

_Nice. First you stare at him, and then you insult him. JUST what he wanted to come home to._

He didn't seem to notice the awkward undertones of the question, though. Looking at her for another moment, he finally blinked, his eyes shifting in and out of different shades of amber. "Huh? Oh, no. I read it on a plane trip to Miami."

_Miami. Safe subject. Good subject. Away-from-thoughts-about-jumping-Ash-subject._ "Um," she coughed here, incredulous at the direction her thoughts were going. "Miami? What did you do there?"

Taking a step closer to her, and thus causing her to inch back against the car, Ash responded, "I was sent on an assignment." Here he stopped his walking and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, kicking the ground. "I, well, I'm not sure any other way to say this." Here he looked up at her. "I've been pretty busy. I left the Nightworld … started doing some other work. Better work," he assured, seeing her eyebrow arch in surprise. "Work that's supposed to help out both the humans and Nightpeople."

Suddenly feeling calmer, Mary-Lynnette figured that she should do something besides back away from him. Squeezing the edge of the trunk for comfort, she moved towards him, closing the space between them to less than a foot. "You actually left the Nightworld?"

Running a hand through his hair, he let out a shaky sigh. "Hard to believe, huh?" He looked at her hesitantly. "I know you didn't really expect me to."

Unconsciously mimicking his nervous habit, Mary-Lynnette tucked away some loose strands behind her ear, and then slipped her hands into her back pockets. "I'm not sure what I expected," she softly confessed, staring at his sneakers. "But, I'm proud of you. That you left. I know it wasn't easy."

Frowning slightly, Ash shook his head. "No, but not for the reasons you'd think." She didn't respond, and after a long moment of silence, he haltingly asked, "So … are you going to yell at me?"

Mary-Lynnette's head jerked up, her gaze meeting his for the first time. Seeing the depth of emotion in his eyes, and feeling distinct panic at not only recognizing, but also responding to it in kind, she fought against the new tide of feelings that swept through her, urging her to stop_ talking_ and to start_ acting_. "Why would I yell at you?"

"Because I didn't come to your graduation."

_Oh. That._

"You didn't go for Kestrel, either. None of your family did."

"Well," Ash offered, moving past her to lean against the back of her new car. "When you have family that dates back to before the medieval times ... celebrating an end to four years of high school is sort of irrelevant."

_Oh, excuse **me** for being human._ "Gee, thanks. I didn't realize asking you would've been an insult to your lineage."

Eyes wide in alarm, he quickly backtracked, "No! That's not what I meant. I know it was important to you."

"So why weren't you there?" She moved her hands from her pockets to again cross them in front of her. Now that she could concentrate on being irked, she didn't feel so overwhelmed by the jubilant nature of their soulmate chord.

Ash winced, knowing that she'd made her point. "I was ... I mean, I didn't ..." he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know."

"Don't you?"

Ash stood for a minute, staring in front of him and trying to figure out the words that wouldn't make the situation worse. Finally, he settled on honesty. "I didn't know what you wanted me to do. We haven't talked in almost a year, and I wasn't sure what your life was really like right now. When my sisters didn't tell me one way or another if you wanted me here – they just assumed I was coming – I had no way of knowing if I should take that to mean that you'd decided you wanted me around after all." Here he shrugged at her, "I know I'm a lot to handle."

Unable to still feel angry in light of his logic, Mary-Lynnette moved back to her car, leaning on it next to Ash and silently basking in his warmth beside her. After another short silence, she responded, "I guess things weren't really clear, were they? Last year, when you went away. We sort of left all of this up in the air – I would wait, you would come back. If things were right, we'd be together." She looked up at him, her blue eyes filled with dozens of different emotions. "I'm just not sure how to tell if things are right or not."

Ash bit back a short laugh, and then glanced at Mary-Lynnette to see him looking up at him with a questioning gaze. Shaking his head, he clarified, "Things are always so complicated with us. I know dozens of soulmate couples - none of them seem to have the issues that we have. They just sort of walk up to each other, and then _bam_, they're together and things are fine." He turned to face her. "Why is it so hard for you and me?"

Mary-Lynnette blinked in surprise, "There are lots of other soulmate couples?"

Ash nodded, "Yeah. Usually a new one turns up every month or so – lots of vampires and humans, some between witches and humans, and a few between different races in the Nightworld."

After a moment, Mary-Lynnette offered, "I don't think that it's necessarily easy for them, Ash. I imagine they have problems, just different ones that come from being _in_ a relationship."

"And we're not?" Ash asked, his voice quiet in the night air.

"I ... I'm not sure." Glancing up at his face, she added, "It's sort of hard to have a boyfriend when you don't talk to him for ten months."

"But ... you did wait for those ten months?" His voice was hesitant here, and it was his tone that finally broke through to Mary-Lynnette's confusion and panic.

_Ash is back._

_Ash came back for me._

Of course, this was obvious – she'd sensed that he'd been in Briar Creek since early afternoon, and she'd been talking with him for at least ten minutes. The soulmate connection had been humming with pleasure at the two of them being in such close proximity, and she'd had bits and pieces of his feelings sent to her as they'd talked. But it wasn't until she'd heard the fear in his voice – it wasn't until she'd heard the fine edge of desperation, that the reality of his presence hit her. To her horror, as soon as she let herself fully embrace the realization, she felt tears spring from her eyes and run down her cheeks.

Seeing her weep, Ash was at a total loss. "Mary-Lynnette ... oh, please don't cry. I'm sorry – whatever it is that I did, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to miss your graduation, well, I did, but it wasn't meant to hurt you, and –" Here an awful thought sprung to his mind. "And, um, well, if you didn't wait, then, uh, I ... I guess we can talk about it. I didn't want ... oh, I suck at this." He reached up to touch her shoulder, unsure if he should offer comfort, or completely back away.

Shaking her head, she used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes and face dry, feeling ridiculously embarrassed. "No, it's okay. It's fine." Turning to Ash, she did something that surprised both of them, and reached up to cup his face in her hands, lifting it so that she could look into his eyes.

"I _did_ wait," she confessed, appreciating the way that his eyes changed from amber to blue in the moonlight – almost like the Northern Lights. He moved to speak, but she kept going, knowing that the time had come for her to start dealing with some of her fears. "I waited every day, knowing that there was an equal chance of you coming back and of you staying away."

"Mary-Lynnette ..." he whispered, his pupils dilating with emotion in such a way that she couldn't forget what he was, even if she had been trying.

"I wanted you to come back. I wanted you to return the way you said you would. It doesn't matter that you didn't come for the ceremony – it was stupid, anyway. I'm really glad that you're here now."

Completely captivated, Ash couldn't help himself as he moved to kiss her. Before his lips touched hers, however, she pulled away from him and looked him in the eye.

"I can't promise you this is going to work," she warned, answering the confusion in his gaze. "I know we're supposed to be together, but I don't know if we _can_ be together. But," here she bit her lip and closed her eyes, almost as if she were readying herself for taking a dive off a cliff. "But I want to try. We've both grown up a lot. Maybe we can make this happen."

Before he could come up with a response, she moved her face up to complete the kiss, finally turning the painful tugging of the chord into a sweet humming. Both of them in over their heads and overwhelmed with sensation, neither one noticed as a meteor streaked across the sky. Although it was too early to be a Perseid, it was no doubt an early indication of what the summer had to offer.

* * *

An hour later found Mary-Lynnette and Ash still on the hill, him sprawled on a blanket and leaning up against the side of her car, her leaning back against him. Next to the pair was a half-eaten bag of Chee-tos. The moon had long since risen, ruining any more possibilities for decent viewing that she may have had planned. For the moment, however, she wasn't really inclined to go back inside. 

After a rather long but comfortable silence, Mary-Lynnette asked, "Ash?"

"Hmm?" Like Mary-Lynnette, Ash was perfectly content where he was.

Taking just another minute to get her thoughts together (somewhat difficult to do given the distraction of his hands idly rubbing over her own), she ventured, "What have you been doing, exactly? You said you left the Nightworld."

"Well," he replied, sitting up a little more so he could be alert enough to give her an answer, "After I left Briar Creek, I went back to my parents to let them know what was going on here. They were a little surprised, to say the least, but since it didn't seem as though the girls could get into any trouble, and they had other stuff to deal with, they didn't push it."

"Then what?" she probed, turning slightly to look up at his profile.

He leaned his head back against the car. "Then ... I sort of floated for a couple of months. I spent time working for my family, helping out with our businesses. Nothing harmful," he assured her, "Just some stuff dealing with property and stocks."

"Property and stocks," she echoed. "Ash, just how rich_ is_ your family?"

"Um ... pretty rich," he answered. "You don't live for thousands of years without amassing some kind of wealth."

"Uh-huh. I see." _Note to self: file away paranoia about boyfriend's rich family for a later time._ "What did they say about you leaving the Nightworld? None of your sisters ever mentioned anything to me about it. Actually," she said thoughtfully, "do they even know?"

Giving a small, nervous laugh, Ash replied, "Uh, no. You see, that's the funny thing about all of this . . ."

* * *

Some time later, Mary-Lynnette, now seated on the blanket facing Ash, rubbed her temples and took a deep breath. 

"So ... um ... that's where I've been ever since. I'm one of Thierry's agents – I do a lot of spy work in the Nightworld clubs, talking to people and gathering information for him." Staring down at his palms, he explained, "_That's_ why I can't tell my sisters about it. Besides other Daybreakers, nobody can know what I'm up to. As far as my family's concerned, I just got back into the party groove."

"Do you still, um ... with other, er …"

Catching her line of thought, Ash shook his head, "No. Well," he sort of coughed here, "I don't _actually_, but I pretend to, and well, it sort of works out that various girls think I, uh, did."

Deciding to file that away with ... quite a few other things as well, Mary-Lynnette eventually said, "Well, you're doing what you promised me you would. You're trying to make things better."

Disconcerted by her more somber mood, Ash quipped, "Well, as it was once said, 'It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done . . .'"

"And, 'it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.'" She smiled. "Charles Dickens, too? You've read a lot this year."

"Well," he said, cutting off a yawn, "I have to keep up with you, don't I?"

_"After all, we are soulmates," Ash had said. "I can't be completely stupid or I'd be completely wrong for you."_

Remembering that time, she said now, "I never thought you were stupid."

Caught in the middle of a stretch, Ash was confused, "What?"

"Last year. You said you couldn't be completely stupid or you'd be completely wrong for me. I never thought you were stupid. I wanted to think you were ... but I never really concluded that it was the case."

He gave a small smile, "Thanks."

Looking down at her wristwatch, Mary-Lynnette was horrified to see that it was past three thirty. "Oh, my God. It's so late."

Ash glanced up at the sky and shrugged, "It's not so bad."

"Well, maybe to full creatures of the night, but us hybrids like to be in by two." She stood up then and began to gather up the blanket. Ash did likewise, helping her to fold the large bedspread. After she packed it in her trunk along with the Chee-tos and telescope, she turned to Ash once again.

"Ash, what kind of a base does Circle Daybreak have? Where are its headquarters?"

"Las Vegas, actually," he answered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "That's the main one, anyway. Thierry has a ton of property all over the world, but we use the Nevada one the most often."

"I take it that he's pretty loaded, too?"

"Yeah. He was the first made vampire. He's had a lot of time to build his empire."

Mary-Lynnette nodded, seemingly lost in thought. She looked up when Ash spoke.

"Mary-Lynnette? What's on your mind?"

"I was just curious. During the year, I got ... feelings ... I guess you could say, about where you were and what you were doing. Nothing specific exactly, but I could sense some things about you. I just wanted more information to put with it."

He thought for a long moment before hesitantly offering, "Well, I sort of had an idea about that, while I was driving here earlier today."

Arching her eyebrow, she prompted, "An idea?"

He lightly rocked back and forth on his heels, answering, "Well, I don't know what you're planning to do for the summer ... but I thought that maybe, at some point, if you wanted ..."

"Ash, just say it."

He took a deep breath and looked directly at her. "Okay. We haven't had a lot of time together. I thought maybe we could take a trip? I could show you some of the places I've been – you can meet the people at Circle Daybreak, see what kind of work I've been doing. If we're really going to be together, you'll probably want to know what's going on between the Nightworld and the human world."

_Well. Well, well. A trip with Ash._

"We get some more time to talk, and, uh," here he coughed again, "talk. About things."

_A trip just to **talk?** I don't think so_, Mary-Lynnette thought, noting his "cough" with interest.

Taking her silence to be negative, he concluded, "Yeah, I was pretty sure you wouldn't go for it. I can just come back here a lot and –"

"I'd love to go," she interrupted, looking up at him with a small smile.

"—visit. You'd what?"

"I'd love to go on a trip with you," she repeated, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek before turning to get into her car. "We can talk about it tomorrow – get in, you can walk to your sister's house from my driveway."

Staring at her dazedly as she got into the car, he could hardly believe what she'd said.

_She'll go with you? Just like that?_

Feeling sure of himself for perhaps the first time that evening, Ash practically sauntered to the passenger side door.

* * *

Ah, and the second chapter is complete. I'm terribly nervous about the characterization in this part – it was absolutely insane to put those two together after a ten-month separation. Still, I did the best that I could with it, and I'll leave it to you guys to let me know if anything feels off to you – just be gentle! 

Until next time!


	3. Chapter I3

All right, I gotta be honest with you guys – this chapter owns my soul. It was crazy fun to write, and it made me completely obsessed with these characters all over again. They're _so_ cool. I just hope that you like it as much as I do.

And now, to acknowledge those that made this chapter possible. Reviews are vital to keeping me near the computer, and to all of you that do so, I can't thank you enough.

Laura: Your review was the first feedback I had on this chapter, and it did a lot to validate my writing – I was so nervous! I'm glad that you're enjoying the story

Lunatic: The dynamic between Ash and Mary-Lynnette is something that is continuing to evolve. As you'll see in this chapter, he's still the same wisecracking lamia that we know and love, but I think being around _her_ makes him nervous since he has so much at stake. My feeling is that as they spend more time together and around others, they'll fall into a sort of "fighting without teeth" routine regarding one another. Whatever happens, I'm sure it'll be interesting to watch!

amber-rules: Yes, the trip will most definitely have some comical moments. Ever try to imagine a city-boy like Ash setting up a tent?

SpiritofEowyn: The trip won't just be Ash going out on missions, although given Mary-Lynnette's strong will and avid curiosity, I'm sure the topic will creep up on more than one occasion. And, let's just say, Ash has to obey if Thierry gives him a direct order ...

crystleflys: Your words are music to a writer's ears. The characters were very difficult to write for that meeting, and I'm so glad that you felt it was realistic and believable. That being said, I think you'll get a kick out of this next chapter

sweettooth: Well, you'll definitely get one of your wishes in this chapter! The other ones will have to wait a few, but it's definitely coming up. blushes I'm glad you like this story so much – it's gratifying to know that I'm not the only one having fun with this!

VenusDeOmnipotent: Nice, long, and sweet are definitely what I'm going for. I think Ash and Mary-Lynnette have a gorgeous love story, and I really love being able to add whatever I can to it.

Thank-you again to all of those who reviewed.

Okay, enough with the notes. Let's take a look at "the morning after."

_**

* * *

For A Knight's Lady**_

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Mary-Lynnette rolled over in her bed, squinting at the bright light that cheerfully poured through her windows.

_Ugh. I must've forgotten to shut the curtains last night_, she thought, considering whether or not it would be prudent to shove her head under the pillow for another hour or so of sleep.

"Mary-LYNNETTE! Are you going to sleep all DAY!" Mark yelled from the hallway.

"Let me die in peace!" She called back, huddling under the blankets. Feeling safe and secure in her cave of linens, she racked her brain and tried to figure out why she was so _tired._

_Yesterday ... graduation ... party ... hill ... Venus ... Ash ... blanket ... _

_Ash?_

_Ash!_

Jolting up from underneath the blankets, she dove for her alarm clock, perturbed to see that it was only a little after eleven.

_It's not THAT late_, she thought.

Falling back on top of the covers, she gave into a full body stretch, feeling rather content with herself.

_This is wonderful,_ she thought. _An entire summer ahead of me to do whatever I want. I can work on my observations and maybe put together a couple of reports for those scholarships I'm looking into. It also wouldn't hurt to have some data recorded if I want to start helping out with some extra research at the University labs..._

_And I can go on a vacation with Ash._

Feeling an overwhelmingly giddy feeling wash over her at the notion, she couldn't help but indulge herself in a couple of random daydreams about the trip. They would go to Las Vegas ... she would get a chance to meet his...

_His what? Coworkers? Associates? Fellow-vampires? Witch-Friends?_

Well, whoever it was, she'd get to know them. And in the evening, she and Ash could go and see one of the shows. Mary-Lynnette had never been to the famous city, and although she couldn't say that she was terribly interested in the gambling or the shopping, she'd always wanted to see some of the stage productions.

_We could go camping, too_, she mused, thinking of the Nevada desert. _I bet if we got far enough away from the city, there would be some **amazing** viewing locations. _The prospect of hiking and exploring some of the caves and rock formations with her soulmate by her side...

_Not to mention, being able to sit by a campfire at night and... _

How had Ash had put it?

_Talk._

Chuckling to herself, she finally rolled out of bed, grabbing a hair tie and pulling her unruly morning locks into a ponytail. When she arrived in the kitchen, Mark was busy at the stove, involved in one of his latest projects: making the perfect omelet.

"How goes the frying of chicken gametes?"

Mark blanched, picking up the pan's handle and giving it a good shake as he prepared to flip over the vegetable-laden egg. "Do you _always_ have to be so scientific?"

Mary-Lynnette gave him a pat him on the head on her way to the refrigerator to get some apricot juice. "Yes. It gives you different point of view of the world. I like to broaden your perspectives."

She could hear him mutter under his breath, "With three vampire blood-sisters, you'd think my perspectives were broad enough."

"One's concept of the universe can _never_ be too broad as long as one can continue to foster rational opinions," she intoned, rummaging through the pantry to unearth a box of cereal.

Looking up from the pan, he warily peered at her. "What's with you? You're in an awfully cheerful mood."

Feeling a blush creep up into her face despite herself, she took an extra moment to search for a particular bowl before turning to face Mark and replying, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm just ... reveling in the freedom I have so recently been granted. I am no longer tied to adolescence and I have an entire summer ahead of me."

"And," Mark slyly added, giving her a knowing glance, "A certain blond-haired male is back in town."

Choking on her juice, Mary-Lynnette coughed for several moments before her lungs stopped complaining. "How did you know _that?_" she rasped, gasping for the clean, natural, non-liquid matter that was air.

Mark grinned as he added shredded cheese to his omelet, folding the circle in half to seal in the new addition. "Jade told me – he telepathically let them know that he was in town. They thought he'd be by to see them later on in the evening, but," there was that sly look again, "he didn't come home before they went to bed."

Adding milk to her cereal, Mary-Lynnette perched on a stool, leaning against a counter as she started to eat her breakfast. "That's really something. Kind of rude, don't you think? I would hope that if _you_ ever came into a town I was living in, that you'd stop by before I went to bed for the evening."

Mark cackled, sliding the omelet on to a waiting plate. Pleased with his creation, he pulled up a stool next to his sister's. Before he took his first bite, though, he couldn't help but tease, "I think you'd forgive me if I'd spent the time in the company of _my_ soulmate."

The blush reappearing on her cheeks, Mary-Lynnette ducked her head, mumbling, "We didn't do anything. He came by the hill and we talked for awhile."

Giving her a skeptical look, he cut up the rest of his omelet before saying, "Well, whatever it was you did, it took four and a half hours and the rest of us normal people went to bed."

"We had a lot to say to each other."

"I'm _sure_," he snickered, methodically inhaling his meal in a way that only seventeen-year-old boys could. He yelped when Mary-Lynnette slapped him on the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"Cut it out," she ordered, draining the dregs of milk from her bowl. "I don't need Dad or Claudine to hear."

Obviously offended, Mark grumbled, "As if I'd say something like that around _them_. They're out shopping for more furniture – Claudine wants to redo the living room again."

Mary-Lynnette rolled her eyes – this would be the second time in five years that her stepmother went on a decorating binge. "Why does she keep doing this? The couches look fine."

Mark shrugged, getting up to wash his dishes, "Who knows? Maybe she's just bored. She hasn't worked outside of the house in six years."

"Hmm," Mary-Lynnette replied, wondering how this latest spending craze was going to affect her father's ability to help with her college costs.

"They're going to sell the old stuff," Mark informed her, reaching for a dishtowel and accepting it when Mary-Lynnette passed it to him instead. "Thanks. Anyway, if they do that, then they shouldn't have to spend a lot on new things." He gave her a knowing look, "Dad's not going to mess up your college fund, sis."

Ducking her head guiltily, she couldn't help but ask, "Was I that obvious?"

Mark shook his head, "No, but it makes sense to wonder where the money's going to come from, if not Dad's pocket. So I asked Dad about it to make sure your cash is safe." He grinned at her, "You're so close to leaving for good, I can't help but make sure the process is secure."

Mary-Lynnette chuckled and resisted the urge to smack him again. "But I thought you _liked_ excitement. If I leave, who'll provide all of the intrigue?"

Giving her a slightly superior look, Mark retorted, "I'll just make up my _own_ intrigue."

_Jade's really changed him_, Mary-Lynnette suddenly realized, the observation doing as much to make her weepy as it did to make her proud. _Mark never would've teased me like this a year ago – he would've just insulted me, left, and apologized later on. He's so confident now, too. He's growing up so much... _

"What are you thinking about?" he asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at her. "That's the look you get when you're about to say or do something really weird. Stop it."

Coughing to clear her eyes, Mary-Lynnette picked up some of the dried dishes and moved to put them away, "Nothing, just being ... really weird." She smiled at him, "So ... how are things with Jade?"

"Um, fine." Now it was his turn to blush. "She wants me to go with her sisters on their vacation to California next month."

"You're going to California?" she asked, arching her eyebrow in surprise.

"Well, not officially," Mark answered, tossing the dishtowel to the side and hopping up to sit on one of the counters. "I haven't exactly talked to Claudine and Dad about it yet. I'd like to go, though. We went a long time ago with Mom and Dad and I remember it being a lot of fun."

Mary-Lynnette shook her head, "Do me a favor and wait to ask? It might be better for your case if you can reference me as an example."

"What are you talking about?"

Mary-Lynnette hesitated for a fraction of a second before explaining, "Ash and I are going on a road trip, too."

Amusement sparkling in his eyes, Mark leapt off of the counter and gave his sister a high-five. "All right! Go Mary-Lynnette! Makin' a _move!_"

Flustered by his enthusiasm, Mary-Lynnette waved her hands frantically, "Hush! For God sake, Mark, it's not _that_ big of a deal!"

Giving her an owlish look, he sputtered, "You're joking, right? My anal retentive, brainy, overly academic and paranoid sister is going on a road trip with a vam—"

"With whom?" Mary-Lynnette's father's voice drawled, registering only a second before he walked into the kitchen.

_Oh, great. With all the racket Mark was making, it's no wonder we didn't hear them come in._

Giving his sister a guilty look, Mark gave her a little wave before making a mad dash for the back door, nearly colliding with Claudine as she was making her way in. "Mark? What's the rush?" she asked, her accent making her sound even more confused.

_You little traitor_, she thought murderously, already beginning to plan the number of slimy, LIVING things that her brother would find in his bed that evening.

The sound of throat clearing brought her back to the present, and Mary-Lynnette looked up to see her father and stepmother looking at her with avid curiosity.

Leaning against the counter, her father prompted, "So _who_ are you going on a road trip with?"

* * *

Ash woke up feeling groggier and more un-awake than he'd felt in a long time. Normally, he would regain consciousness without opening his eyes and cast out his senses to see if there was danger nearby. It was something that he'd learned during his Circle Daybreak training, and it was a skill he'd needed to cultivate given his tendency to wake up uncoordinated and in a foul mood. 

Now, however, given that he was on a vacation of sorts, he was pretty sure he could abandon his security measures and just wake up like a normal person. Opening his eyes and glancing around the room, he nearly had a heart attack.

"For the love of—! What are you doing!" He snapped, dropping his head back on the pillow. His words were met with silence and he took a minute to rub his face as he recovered from the shock of seeing all three of his sisters sitting on the floor, staring at him.

"So the comatose beast awakens," Kestrel observed, gracefully standing up and folding her arms across her chest. "It's after noon."

Ash sighed and sat up, reaching over and grabbing a t-shirt to pull on. "Well, I was tired. I _did_ drive for almost fourteen hours yesterday."

"You didn't come and see us last night," Jade stated, rising as gracefully as Kestrel had, the only difference being the cat that she held in her arms.

Scowling at the indirect interrogation, Ash stood up and made for the door, glancing at his older sister in passing. "Well?" he prompted Rowan, "Aren't _you_ going to add something, too?"

Still sitting cross-legged on the floor, Rowan blinked her calm, brown eyes at him and softly smiled. "How's Mary-Lynnette?"

Letting out a groan of frustration, Ash stomped out the doorway and made for the bathroom, slamming the door once he was inside.

Giving off a low chuckle, Kestrel made her way out the door as well. "Just as we thought."

* * *

Thundering down into the kitchen a little while later, Ash was pleased to see that his sisters had decided to keep it stocked with various human food products. Although things like milk and doughnuts didn't affect him one way or another, he still liked to make them part of his daily diet.

_Mark said Mary-Lynnette slept late, too_, Jade projected to him from the next room as he went to help himself to the pastries.

_Wonderful, Jade. Call the press: the astronomy nerd stayed up late last night._ Feeling the need to slam doors again, he made do with the kitchen cupboards, finally finding a usable glass for the milk.

"Moonrise was at eleven-thirty," Kestrel remarked, coming to stand in the doorway. "Not much for the astronomy _nerds_ to see after the sky filled with light."

Sighing heavily, Ash took his tasty, if useless, breakfast and scooted past Kestrel to sit in one of the heavy, wooden chairs that filled his late Aunt's living room.

Closing the book she had been reading, Rowan set it aside to gaze steadily at her brother. "You know we're just teasing you, Ash. I think it's wonderful that you went to see her last night."

Working his mouth around a chocolate covered, sprinkled doughnut, Ash telepathically responded, _Fine, it's wonderful. We all agree. Can we stop talking about it now?_

Ignoring him, Kestrel came to perch on Rowan's chair, unable to resist adding: "But four and a half hours? I mean, I would think you'd give her time to get used to you being _back_ before keeping her up so late." Giving him an exaggerated wink she reminded him, "Mary-Lynnette doesn't have the same stamina that _you_ do."

Before Ash could respond, Jade innocently interjected, "But Mark stays up really late with me, and _he's_ human. Maybe it runs in their family?"

A long silence met Jade's comment as each of her sisters did their best to stifle laughter. Seizing upon the opportunity, Ash grit out between clenched teeth, "If I acknowledge that yes, I _did_ to go see Mary-Lynnette last night, and that all we did was talk, can the three of you find it somewhere in your vast number of natural and supernatural abilities to _shut up about it?_"

Picking up Tiggy as the housecat wandered by the sofa, Jade glanced at Ash, her green eyes looking serene. "I don't see what the big deal is. They're soulmates, they're supposed to see each other."

Throwing his head against the back of his chair, he tossed the thought out like a white flag: _I guess not._

Seeing his distress and feeling sorry for him, Rowan waved her hand, "All right, all right. We'll stop. We're just really happy that the two of you worked things out."

Opening one eye and narrowing it at her, Ash guardedly asked, "And how do you figure things 'worked out' so well?"

Kestrel smirked and answered, "One, because you're still here. Two, because you didn't go out and destroy anything last night. And three, because Mark was by half an hour ago and mentioned something about a road trip that you and Mary-Lynnette are going to take." Having tacked each of these off on three fingers, she crossed her arms and added: "We would think the two of you have progressed beyond just kicking each other if you're going to commit to hours of car travel."

"Cars aren't good places to have fights," Jade supplied, turning Tiggy upside-down so she could scratch his belly.

Putting his empty glass and plate on the floor beside the chair, Ash carefully chose the words to his reply, "Okay, since none of you are going to leave me alone until you hear what you want, I'll level with you." Looking up at each of his sisters, he hoped that his half-truths would be convincing enough for them. "She and I haven't had a lot of time together, so we figured we'd take a small trip to just talk and get to know one another a little better. I have some friends in Las Vegas, so we'll go there to crash and maybe check out the desert."

After a brief pause wherein Ash prayed that his answer had finally settled the matter, his sisters all began talking at once:

"You have _friends_ in Vegas?" Kestrel asked, her amber eyes wide with surprise.

"She'll like seeing the stars from Nevada," Jade observed, her tickling finally provoking Tiggy into grabbing a hold of her hand with his claws.

"Was this your idea?" Rowan questioned, sitting forward in her chair and looking intently at him.

Finally having had enough with the third degree, he scooped up his dishes and made for the kitchen, leaving his sisters behind him. Feeling the need to stay out of the living room for as long as possible, he quickly located the soap and started to wash the cup and plate. After a few seconds, he heard Rowan's soft step glide into the room.

"We're not trying to make you mad, Ash," she said, reaching out to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's just very new to us."

"_What_ is?" he demanded, turning his prism-like eyes on to her. "You guys have known about us for a year. You're acting like this is some kind of soap opera or something."

Turning her head to the side slightly, Rowan observed that Ash was probably just as uncertain about the relationship as Mary-Lynnette had been when the sisters had spoken with her the day before. "We've known that the two of you were soulmates, yes," she agreed. "But none of us were sure how things would play out – if you would actually come back for her." Her voice grew quiet as she revealed, "The old Ash wouldn't have."

Having finished with his dishes, Ash braced himself against the counter, his head hanging down. After a moment he asked, "Was the 'old Ash' really _that_ bad of a guy?"

Blinking in surprise at the change in tone, Rowan could only shake her head and assure him, "No, of course not. I mean," Here she knew she had to be careful – this was something her brother was obviously sensitive about. "You did a lot of manipulative things to people, and you didn't seem to care ... but I don't think you were ever a bad _person_. Just confused. Scared." Seeing his mouth set in a tight line, she elaborated: "We didn't have a chance to get to know the old Ash very well – you didn't exactly stop by to visit with us. But, we're getting to know you now. Maybe there are more similarities between the way you were and the way you've become. It's just hard for us to tell."

After a few seconds, Ash straightened up and remarked: "Well, I _have_ to visit you now. You couldn't pay anybody else from the family to come out here, and it's just as well that I be the one to keep an eye on things." He turned to head back upstairs, but before he got through the doorway, he looked back at Rowan and gave her a small smile.

_Thanks._

Staring at the doorway after he left, Rowan took a minute to process the conversation before thinking to herself, _You were never a bad person Ash, but you would never have opened up to me like that before. I'm so happy that you found Mary-Lynnette._

* * *

"But ... I thought you hated Ash? He _is_ the same one you met last year, right? Mrs. Burdock's nephew?" Claudine asked, the bafflement very apparent in her voice. Then she looked at Mary-Lynnette more intently, "Or was I right? _Was_ that all fighting like the little boy pushing the girl down in the sandbox?" 

Mary-Lynnette shut her eyes, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. That hadn't been the first time Claudine had brought up that particular point during their very long conversation, and Mary-Lynnette was running out of ways to justify her change of heart without making too much of said change.

_I could just tell her the truth_, she flippantly thought. _Claudine, Dad, my feelings for Ash took a 180 because we discovered that our souls our bonded throughout eternity. I'm the only one for him and he's the only one for me. In light of meeting my destiny, despite any initial reservations, I decided that I kinda liked the guy._

Sighing wistfully at the truth that could never be told, she settled for: "Like I said before, he came by the hill last night and we had a long conversation. I like him – he's interesting." Still seeing the doubt in her father and stepmother's eyes, she added, "And, well, we sort of resolved things between us last year."

Her father shook his head, still clearly confused. "Mary-Lynnette, you're an adult now, so you're certainly able to take this trip with or without our permission. We're just a little puzzled, that's all. We didn't realize you knew him all that well."

Deciding to play another card up her sleeve, Mary-Lynnette responded, "I know it sounds odd. And trust me, if you'd told me a year ago that I'd be going on a road trip with Ash Redfern, I would never have believed you. But, well, he knows about the research that I want to do this summer and so he offered to take me to Nevada."

Looking up at her father with earnest eyes, she continued: "Do you know what _amazing_ things I could see this time of year? Although it doesn't show up very often, the June Bootids could _possibly_ appear again." Mary-Lynnette conveniently "forgot" here that the last actual sighting of the Bootids was back in 1927 towards the _end_ of June. "And that's just the exceptional stuff. There's no telling how clear the _galaxies _and –"

"Okay Mary-Lynnette, you've made your point," her father said, cutting her off before she could get worked up into a tangent.

_Thank God_, she thought. _I was going to have to start making stuff up._

Sighing, he reached out to rub her cheek and tuck her hair behind her right ear. "Just give your old man some credit; I have my fatherly duties."

Rolling her eyes, she stood up and gave him a quick hug. On impulse, she gave one to Claudine, too. "I appreciate it. Sort of. Just ... trust me on this one." Thankful that the inquiry was over, she dashed out of the room as quickly as she could. As she made her way up the stairs, though, she found that she was not quite free of her father's parental influence.

"Of course you know," he called up to her, "That he needs to come over for dinner before I'll physically let him take you anywhere. Tonight would be fine, if you're free."

Closing her eyes in defeat, Mary-Lynnette couldn't help but try to picture her father fighting Ash to defend her honor. Needless to say, it was a pretty grim image.

_I'd tell him that he would have better luck attacking Ash with a pencil than a gun, but I don't think he'd understand_, she thought, shaking her head as she made her way to the shower.

* * *

Yes, my friends, Ash is coming to dinner. I decided that parental involvement in Nightworld soulmate couples was something barely present in the original books and so desperately needed to be integrated into this fanfiction. I have no idea what's going to take place, but I'm sure it'll be fairly amusing. Since I've been on a mad writing craze, you can expect the fourth chapter within a week.

In the meantime, if you're reading this, and I get the feeling a respectable number of you are, then I _beg_ you to take the time to review – even if it's just to say something short and sweet like, "Good job!" Fanfiction review alerts in my inbox are vital to putting me in my happy place and keeping the writing flowing.

Until next time!


	4. Chapter I4

And so we meet again! You guys are lucky tonight – I'm exhausted, so the author's notes are short. I'm really excited about this chapter – I think you all should be pleased with it. I'll warn you ahead of time that it sort of stops in an odd place, but you'll see that it picks up rather nicely for the next bit.

As usual, here are my thanks to those who are kind enough to review and feed my addiction

laura: I love it when you review. You're always so nice, and your compliment is (I think) the highest honor that a fanfiction writer can be paid. Thank-you so much!

Lunatic: Your thirsting for Mary-Lynnette and Ash action has been granted. Just brace yourself for his dinnertime antics. I'm glad you liked what I did with Mark – I think he's a really awesome character, and I'm looking forward to bringing forth his relationship with Jade a little bit. As to this chapter – I hope I can fulfill your expectations and keep you entertained.

RaVyn: Your compliment was so wonderful to receive after that last chapter – it's one of my favorites and you were so nice! It definitely helped to keep me at the computer and writing.

VenusdeOmnipotent: I live for cuteness. I think Ash does, too. Secretly, that is.

amber-rules: How do I make it real? I have no idea, but if I could bottle it, I'd never have to work again. Maybe Ash's psyche just likes to talk to me a lot. Let's just hope that I can keep doing it – we have at least another fourteen chapters to go!

Massive good karma goes out to those that review. Thank-you all again, you have no idea how wonderful it is to get feedback (both good and bad!). I like to do my best to keep you enthralled.

Okay, enough chit chat. Let's see this next chapter.

* * *

_**For A Knight's Lady**_

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Mary-Lynnette turned off her car after having let the engine run for a couple minutes and, popping the hood, got out to check the oil. This was part of the monthly inspection that she always performed on her car, and she knew it was one of the reasons that her old station wagon had lasted as long as it did. Despite the rust, the pitted windshield, the moody gas cap, and the brakes that worked more because of prayer rather than electricity, the car had served her well for almost two years before its downfall. 

Glancing at her stepmother's car, a cute VW Bug, in disgust, she couldn't help but marvel at Claudine's complete ignorance of what went on within her vehicle. _It could have garden gnomes and weasels living in it for all she'd notice._

Satisfied that her oil level was where it needed to be, she moved on to examine the radiator coolant, the wiring, and the transmission and power steering fluids. Just as she was moving on to the battery, she felt the impatient tug of the soulmate chord, and heard a voice behind her drawl, "Are you sure you know what you're doing under there? Machines are really the domain of men and beasts."

Turning around and being careful not to touch her clothes with her grimy hands, she crossed her arms and arched her eyebrow at Ash. "And just how many miles to the gallon does _your_ car get?"

"Um . . ."

Smirking at him, she triumphantly declared, "I knew it. You don't have any clue what's under the hood of a car."

Recovering quickly, he responded, "Now that's not true. I just don't know the mundane, _laymen's_ information." He gave her a superior look, "But I had my car specially built, so I know the parts."

Debating on whether or not she really wanted a lecture on engines and aero-dynamic bumpers, she eventually just said, "Well, layman or not, it's what keeps my cars running. Don't just stand there, hand me that water jug."

Lazily walking over to the requested item, he slowly picked it up and meandered over to her, holding on longer than necessary so she would look up at him when she moved to take it. "Don't you want to know?"

"Know what?" she asked, getting caught up in the shifting shades of his eyes.

_They're green today_, she noted, wondering distantly if there were emotional correlations to his eye color.

"If I'm man," his head moved closer to hers, keeping his lips just inches above her own. "Or beast?"

To her dismay, she felt her brain completely melt into mush at his words, her mind unable to wrap itself around all of the possibilities and connotations of the man-or-beast scenario. Of course, it didn't help that the soulmate chord was acting as a proverbial cheering squad, practically chanting as he reached down to close the space between them.

Kissing Ash was a new experience for Mary-Lynnette. Well, to be honest, kissing _anybody_ was a new experience for her. It just made things more complicated when he was so _good_ at it, and when the entire event was wrapped up in a delicious pink haze that made her feel as though she were flying miles above the earth. Forgetting about the jug and her greasy hands, she wrapped her arms around his neck, totally immersed in feeling him against her. Dimly, she knew that there was another way to be even _closer_ to Ash, a way to really be _with _him, but she was having a problem articulating what that was, or even caring.

After long moments, Mary-Lynnette's practical nature managed to climb on top of the pink haze and nudge her back to reality. Opening her eyes, she felt her head start to clear, her heart pounding and lungs on fire. Sliding down his long frame, she coughed nervously, tucking her hair behind her ears. Feeling residue on her face, she looked at her hands and, to her horror, remembered their condition. Glancing back at Ash, she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

Being similarly disoriented and confused, Ash was struggling to control his emotions when he noticed that Mary-Lynnette had an odd look on her face. "What?" he asked, looking around to see if anybody had caught them in their private moment.

Mary-Lynnette fought hard not to smile before pointing out, "Um, I think I may have ruined your shirt."

Glancing down, he saw that all around his white t-shirt were patches of black oil and grease. Closing his eyes he muttered, "My sisters are never going to let me live this down."

Bending down to pick up the jug of distilled water, Mary-Lynnette turned her attentions back to her car, trying her best to steady herself. "They were teasing you?" she asked, carefully filling up her battery to about 5 mm above the plates.

Finally calming down, he answered, "You might say that. It's their new game: Kick the Ash."

Putting the caps back on the battery, Mary-Lynnette felt settled enough to chuckle. "Mark was doing the same thing." Thinking of her brother's hurried exit from the kitchen, she couldn't help but glower and mumble: "That Brutus."

"Brutus? As in, 'Et tu Brute?'"

Still glowering, Mary-Lynnette looked towards Mark's window and muttered, "With about half the honor and not nearly so noble a political agenda."

Ash winced at her tone, "Ouch. What'd he do?"

Sweeping down to pick up a bottle of windshield wiper fluid, she walked to the other side of the car to reach the dispenser, refilling the washer bottle as she explained, "He was celebrating our road trip when my Dad walked in – putting _me_ on the spot for explanations."

Feeling a happy buzz at hearing her say the words "our road trip," Ash cleared his throat and shifted, draping his body over the side of her car so he could see her over the roof. "What exactly did you tell him? Your Dad, I mean."

Mary-Lynnette shrugged, dropping the bottle and slamming down the hood of the car. "Just that you and I had resolved our differences and that you wanted to take me out to Nevada so I could stargaze."

_Interesting. _"How 'resolved' are our differences?"

Blushing as she scrutinized her windshield wipers, checking to make sure they weren't wearing down or splitting, she answered, "Resolved enough so that we don't hate each other."

"So ...your Dad doesn't know about us. Like, the whole 'souls bonded through eternity' thing." He said this as he turned, propping his head up with his hand as his elbow continued to rest on the car. Mary-Lynnette looked up and saw that his eyes were a dark brown, again making her wonder what kinds of emotions they were supposed to reflect.

Sneaking another peak at him, she couldn't help but marvel: _And I used to think that wiry and blond was a boring, unintelligent look_. Given the dirty shirt and casual jeans, she now happily and willingly conceded that his longish hair, well chiseled features and sleepy eyes combined to make a stunningly attractive, rumpled picture in the early afternoon sun.

Glancing down at the wipers again, more to distract herself than because they needed the extra attention, she was forced to admit, "Well, no, not exactly. I couldn't actually tell him about our _actual _relationship, and I wasn't sure how to go from hating you to dating you in one conversation. I figured if I could just express the general sense of things having changed between us, then that would be truth enough."

"Will you tell him before we go on our trip? About us dating?" Mary-Lynnette looked up at him here, hearing something in his tone and feeling an odd tremor from him through their connection. Frowning, she asked, "Ash, what's the problem? I didn't want to push my Dad with a lot of information. It's only been a day; I wanted to give him time to get used to this." Taking a deep breath she then added, "And _I_ want to get used to this, too."

Ash looked down at the driveway, trying to control the intense feelings ricocheting around in his head.

_When are you going to get used to **me**? _He wondered, wishing that he knew the words or actions that would get rid of the walls he still felt between them. After a second or so, he raised his head and met her curious gaze, offering her a lazy grin and straightening up as he wandered over to her. "Don't worry about it," he said.

Still not convinced, Mary-Lynnette decided that it would be best to just leave things as they were. "My Dad wants you to come over for dinner tonight," she informed him. "He feels it's his paternal duty to investigate you and your background."

Ash grimaced. "I knew something like that would happen." Brightening, he chirped, "Well, tell your step-mom that I like spaghetti. With meatballs."

_Spaghetti with ...that's AWFULLY ...red. _"Ash . . ." she warned, giving him a suspicious look. "No games or innuendo. I don't want to spend the whole evening listening to you hint at your vampire lineage."

"What?" he asked, stealing a quick kiss before turning to head back to the Burdock Farm. "I happen to like spaghetti. My family's Italian ..._somewhere_ on my mother's side." Waving to her he called back, "I'll be over at five. We can talk about our plans and I can meet your dad."

"Ash," she warned, "My dad's going to have _questions_ for you."

"And I'll have answers for him," he assured her. Seeing her shell-shocked face, he added, "Don't worry! Parents _love_ me."

Watching him walk away, Mary-Lynnette did her best to fight against a feeling of dread. _I hope that they're at least **somewhat** truthful._ Casting a look at her home with trepidation, she sighed. _Ash in my house_. _I just hope there's something left by the time we get to dessert._

* * *

Rolling over on to her side as she awoke from her nap, Mary-Lynnette looked at the bedside clock and leapt out of her bed in a panic. 

_I can't believe it's 4:45, _she fumed, dashing around her room looking for something more becoming than jeans and a t-shirt to put on for dinner.

_How did I oversleep?_ She kept asking herself, tossing glares at her alarm clock and making future plans to take it apart and bury its components in opposite corners of the front yard. That is, after she filled Mark's sheets with the worms she'd dug up from Mrs. Burdock's old garden.

_It's immature and will most likely provoke retaliation_, she mused, finally finding her hairbrush underneath some graphs she had been making and desperately working it through the knots in her hair, _But I think I can let myself go this once. Big sisters have their rights, too._

Glancing out the window, she saw Ash's lanky form making its way across the yard and toward the front door. She appreciatively noted that he'd taken the opportunity to dress up a little, substituting khakis and a button-down shirt for his usual ripped jeans and band T-shirt. Just as she was about to bask in pride at his outward display of maturity, she noted to her horror he was carrying an enormous bouquet of roses and a bottle of what looked to be _very _expensive red wine.

_That's the cheesiest thing I've ever seen._

"Oh, no. What is he up to?"

Just as she was beginning to panic, she saw him look up toward her window and give her a little wave with the bouquet. Tossing him a glare, he responded by flashing a cheeky grin before continuing to her front door. Throwing her brush on to her bed, she gave herself one last once-over in the mirror, satisfied that her own khaki skirt and blouse was more than appropriate for the evening. Hearing the obnoxious ring of the doorbell, she threw herself out of her room, making it downstairs without an accident more because of luck than any actual skill.

"I'll get it!" she yelled, flying to the front hallway.

"We noticed," her father dryly observed, getting up from his easy chair in the living room.

Claudine poked her head out of the kitchen, the sound of Mary-Lynnette's antics enough to draw her away from the cooking. Arching her eyebrow at her stepdaughter, she clicked her tongue a few times before ducking back to her preparations. Coughing self consciously, Mary-Lynnette looked around and noticed that besides her parents, Mark and Jade had also been witness to her flight of death as they set the dining table, both stopping in mid-motion to stare at her.

Distracted at seeing the young vampire, she asked, "Are Kestrel and Rowan coming, too?"

Giving Mary-Lynnette a puzzled look, Mark pointed to the eight plates that were already on the tablecloth. "Duh," he said. "They're already here helping Claudine." Delicately setting up some of the silverware he added, "Some of us didn't _take_ a nap this afternoon."

Feeling more and more ridiculous, Mary-Lynnette jumped a foot as the doorbell impatiently rang for a second time, and she abruptly turned to open it.

Ash was standing on the front stoop, looking slightly put out. "Did you guys decide you didn't want me to come after all?"

Giving a nervous laugh she said, "Just a few technical difficulties."

"In her _brain_," Mark offered, coming to the front door. "Let him in, for God sake. He's been standing out there for, like, five minutes."

_Can this GET any worse?_ She thought, numbly moving aside to let Ash in.

"Thanks," Ash said to Mark as he stepped inside. Seeing Mary-Lynnette's miserable look, he couldn't resist bending down to kiss her cheek. "It's cool," he assured her. "My sisters take forever to get ready, too."

Hearing a throat clear, Mary-Lynnette looked up to see her father leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed against his chest. Without having to guess, she knew that he'd seen the exchange of affection, and her entire hopes for getting through the evening without spotlighting the relationship went up in smoke.

Before she could do anything, however, Claudine again emerged from the kitchen, this time hastily wiping her hands off on her apron. "Ash," she said, her accent making her sound flustered. "How nice to see you again. Dear," she turned to Mary-Lynnette's father, "Have you and Ash been introduced?"

"I haven't been greeted yet," her father drawled. "I'm third in line, it seems."

Blushing furiously, Mary-Lynnette went through the formalities, eyeing the wine and flowers as if they were live animals. "Should I take those?" she asked, hoping that he would keep the gift exchange as subtle and simple as possible.

"I brought them for your parents, actually," he said, turning to the adults in question and presenting Claudine with the flowers and her father with the wine. "I ordered the flowers especially for you," he told Claudine.

Taking a look at the flowers again, Mary-Lynnette saw that she'd been mistaken in assuming that they were roses.

_What the ..._

"Red poppies," Claudine murmured, touching the petals to her forehead. "Ash, how did you know?"

Coming in from the dining room, Mark echoed Mary-Lynnette's thoughts: "Know what?"

Claudine gave Ash a kiss on the cheek and then turned to go back into the kitchen. "Red poppies are the national flower of Belgium," she explained cheerily. Giving Ash an approving look before exiting, she remarked, "That was very observant of you."

Shrugging he said, "It was nothing. I had some connections, and I thought you might not have seen any in awhile."

Before Mary-Lynnette could sputter some kind of response, her father broke in with, "I can't believe you found this."

Dimly turning to look at her father, she weakly asked, "What did he find?"

He turned to Ash with a look of disbelief, "Opus One? 1987? How ...?" Her father gave Ash a shrewd look, "_How _old are you?"

Ash chuckled. "Only nineteen, but this was all perfectly legal – my Aunt has a number of cases in her basement. My uncle was kind of a connoisseur." Extending his hand, Ash added, "I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Carter."

Finally getting disgusted with feeling so overwhelmed, Mary-Lynnette straightened her shoulders, determined to make it through the evening with dignity despite her boyfriend's schmoozing. Firming her resolve, she thought to herself, _Mark Twain once said, 'The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next.'_

Looking at her father as he reverently placed the wine bottle on the coffee table, she inwardly groaned, _We're going to have a lot of moments tonight._

* * *

"So, Ash, you said that you were nineteen." Accepting the basket of garlic bread, Mary-Lynnette's father looked at the young man, comfortably settling into his first father-to-boyfriend cross-examination session. 

Mary-Lynnette closed her eyes in prayer, hoping that any spare angels or saints were on her side for the evening. Jumping in surprise when Ash slid his arm beneath the tablecloth to comfortingly rub her arm, she almost missed his answer, "That's right, sir. I graduated from high school last year."

'_Sir?'_ She thought, sneaking a glance at Mark, who was regarding his salad with acute fascination. It looked as though he was trying not to laugh.

Oblivious to his son's amusement or his daughter's discomfort, Mary-Lynnette's father continued, "I see. And where are you going to college?"

_Oh, no. Loaded question at two o'clock. This could be bad. _Mary-Lynnette chose this point to cut up all of the meatballs on her plate and arrange the meat equally about the noodles.

"Well, when I was in high school, I took college courses along with my regular workload," Ash explained, mixing up his noodles and tomato sauce. "Mostly business classes. After I graduated, my father asked me to stay home for a few years to help him run our family's affairs."

_That's a remarkable lie,_ Kestrel thought to him, sniffing delicately at the garlic bread.

_It's not a **total** lie_, Ash thought back. _Dad DID ask me to help out. I just neglected to mention to Mr. Carter that I turned Dad down at the time._

_You never **went**__to high school. You were schooled on the enclave, just like we were_, Kestrel retorted. _Then you spent two years in every Nightworld club on the east coast._

_Not every one. Only the good ones,_ Ash assured her.

_No telepathy at the dinner table_, Rowan reminded them, giving each sibling a firm look from over the rim of her glass.

Glancing up from his own plate with interest, Mary-Lynnette's father asked, "What kinds of affairs?"

Thanking all of the deities he could think of for his past spy training, Ash managed to mask his disgust as he started to eat his salad. _Ugh. Vampire eats salad. This is just … wrong. _Swallowing, he responded, "A lot of things. Mostly negotiating property sales and maintenance – our family owns a lot of land."

_If you hold your breath, the lettuce isn't so bad_, Jade offered, chasing down her own mouthful with some water.

_Nothing, and I mean NOTHING can make this okay for me_, Ash declared, nearly gagging as he partook of more of the vegetables.

_Jade, Ash – cut it out! _Rowan warned.

_I'm just trying to help, _Jade sniffed, turning her head slightly so she could smile at Mark.

"So, what kind of work do you do?" This was from Claudine, who up until that moment had remained content to simply watch the different dynamics between the guests. Although she didn't quite understand what was passing between them, she saw enough to know that some message was being sent and understood. In an attempt to shake the feeling, she turned her full attention to Ash.

Ash felt Mary-Lynnette's light kick that brought him back to the conversation. Catching her eye, he didn't need their connection to get her meaning: _Pay attention!_

Clearing his throat and trying to ignore the ghosts of vegetable chunks that he could still feel in his throat, Ash answered, "I travel a lot and negotiate with different buyers and sellers. When I need to, I help our lawyers draw up contracts." He tossed both Mary-Lynnette's father and Claudine a wry grin. "I'm also pretty good at playing golf with old men."

Her father chuckled, and the air in the dining room grew more comfortable as the other guests felt the release of tension. Inwardly heaving a great sigh, Mary-Lynnette observed: _This isn't so bad_. _Maybe he'll behave himself after all._

"So, do you have plans to go to college when your family's business has settled down?"

Mary-Lynnette turned to look at Ash, interested to see how he'd answer this one.

"Well," Ash responded, conjuring up another infectious grin, "I'm interested in medicine, actually."

Her head jolting up, Mary-Lynnette grew suspicious. _What is he up to?_

"Really?" her father asked. "What kind of medicine?"

Ash shrugged. "Oh, I'm not all that particular, yet. I just know that I've never had a problem with needles or blood, and I like to help people. It seems like a good combination."

Already being overly-sensitive to the subject, hearing Ash actually talk about blood at the dinner table nearly caused Mary-Lynnette to choke. Masking her coughing in her napkin, she looked around the table and noted that Ash's sisters were also not amused by his humor. Mark, long done with his first helping, was busy putting together another plate, still desperately trying to hide the smirk that had yet to leave his face.

_I'm glad he finds this so funny_.

Still seemingly unaware of the vibe between the young adults at the table, her father shook his head and chuckled, "Well, I hope you find some more direction soon enough. You don't have all the time in the world you know."

Ash shrugged. "Oh, I wouldn't worry so much about that."

Mary-Lynette's father was oblivious to his daughter's rising disbelief. "No, really," he affirmed. "I think you'll be surprised when you wake up to find that your youth is long behind you and that many opportunities are long gone. I know I did."

Ash gave him a confident grin and shrugged, "My family says the same thing. But, I guess I figure since we all live to be so old, I can gather my rosebuds while I may."

Although Mary-Lynnette knew that the teasing was virtually harmless, it was doing nothing for her nerves, and as a result, she was on the verge of losing her temper. Not wanting to have a scene in front of her father, she stifled her response, simply shaking her head in amazement. _And I thought this was going well. _

Her reaction caught her father's attention, and he looked over at her with concern. "Is something wrong, Mary-Lynnette?"

Now the focus at the table, she was forced to think quickly. "Oh," she said, thinking quickly. "It's just an old argument we've had." Here she tossed Ash a look of exaggerated patience. "We can never agree on the appropriate age one should decide on a career." Her eyes said it all: _Please behave yourself!_

His green eyes twinkling with amusement, Ash easily flowed with her excuse. "It's true. I really respect that Mary-Lynnette already knows what she wants to do and that she's enrolling in such a good program to do it. I just don't know what I want to do, yet, so I don't think one can really dictate a standard age to choose a job."

Cocking his head in thought, her father seemed to process Ash's opinion before nodding. "I can accept that. Although I went straight to college from high school, I remember a number of my buddies from back home enrolling in the Peace Corps or the Army to give them some experience before choosing a field." Giving Ash a steady gaze, the warning in his voice was almost tangible. "It seems to me that the important thing is not to be wasting time and to still be productive to society."

Ash had to hide his gulp. _Point taken. _"I completely agree, sir."

Blinking at him in amazement as her panic started to recede, Mary-Lynnette had to hand it to Ash – his former answer had been perfect. 1) It had shown her father that Ash respected women (Mary-Lynnette in particular); 2) It demonstrated that he knew of her activities and her goals and supported them; and, 3) It validated his non-student status and his reasons for not having a clear vision of his future without making him sound like a irresponsible kid with no direction or, 4) insulting Mary-Lynnette's father for assuming that he would be otherwise.

_Very, VERY good_, she thought, flashing Ash a brilliant smile that left him slightly dazed. Noting the interaction with interest, Mary-Lynnette's father chose that moment to remark, "So, I hear everyone at this table is interested in some kind of road trip this summer."

Surprised, Mark looked up from his plate for the first time, his gaze immediately falling on Mary-Lynnette. Shrugging to him, she indicated that she had no idea where her father had heard such news.

"That's right, Mr. Carter," Jade said, reaching down to hold Mark's hand under the table. "I told your Dad about it earlier today," she explained, seeing Mark's startled look. "You were taking too long."

Hiding a smile behind her napkin, Mary-Lynnette wondered if being present for Mark's interrogation would be enough to justify a reprieve from a bed full of worms.

Remembering his sneaky exit from the kitchen, her eyes darted back to her younger brother as he began to explain the trip. Her eyes narrowed, and she felt Ash stir beside her, chuckling as he followed her line of sight to note her target.

"So, Ash, did you keep in touch with Mary-Lynnette during the school year?" Claudine asked, doing her best to draw the two into more conversation.

_The worms stay_, she decided, twisting the long spaghetti noodles around her fork as Ash proceeded to verbally weave his way through another minefield of parental questions.

* * *

What do you mean dinner's _not over yet?_

The first section by the car took so long, that I decided to drag it out to cover two chapters. We still have dessert, after all. And they have to make plans.

You should have all of the above by Friday.

Until next time!


	5. Chapter I5

Yes! She updates again! On time! On Friday, even! Who knew it was possible! I'll keep the author's notes short so you can see what I've done to our esteemed couple, but I will warn you that this chapter is an angst/fluff session on many levels. That kind of stuff is SO much fun to write. 

:cheers for her reviewers: And now, time to thank those who keep me writing by sending me bits of encouragement. You guys are awesome!

filanvampire: I'm so glad that you're still reading and enjoying yourself. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

fate22: Your review was _massive_ validation for the dinner scene. I was crazy-nervous about its dynamics. Your comments were really appreciated and I hope I can keep things entertaining!

Lunatic: Mary-Lynnette's scene with her car was something I've had in my head for awhile. It actually taught _me _a thing or two, as I had to look up the specifics. I'm really relieved that you found Ash to be in character – you're an eagle-eye reviewer and I totally count on you to keep me in line. Enjoy Chapter Five!

laura: You went on to _In My Sight?_ That's so cool! I won't be updating that one for awhile, since I'm firmly stuck in Mary-Lynnette and Ash World, but it won't be as long a hiatus as the last time. Still, in the meantime, I'm _so_ psyched that you like both my stories. That really means a lot.

amber-rules: The telepathic fight was one of my favorite parts to that last chapter – Ash's interaction with his sisters is absolutely hysterical to think about. As to updating, I'm doing it as quickly as I can :grin:

Hananiah: Ash under the spotlight was most interesting – it just sort of came to me, and he and I had to have a long mental conversation about how he'd handle it. It's wonderful to know that the balance of the chapter kept you interested – I hope you like the next part!

scary miss mary: I've said this before, and I'll say it again – comments like yours are the highest honor I can conceive of receiving; thank-you so much for giving it. I saw that you took a peak at my other story, as well. It'll be a little while before I update, but definitely not as long as last time. Enjoy Chapter Five!

crystleflys: The teasing/fighting/sarcasm parts are some of my most favorites to write. I think it's when we see Ash's true wisecracking potential, and it's really funny to think of all the kinds of things he could say. I'm pleased you're having as much fun reading this as I'm having writing it. Keep in touch!

J: Well, you've got your wish.

Now, I present you with Chapter V.

* * *

_**For A Knight's Lady**_

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

To Mary-Lynnette's infinite relief, the rest of dinner passed without her father needing to grab the family set of chopsticks and make quick work of the guests. After giving Ash another not-so-subtle kick following a remark about how much he "sucked" at cooking, another after he talked about the "stakes" being high when it came to early death in his family (for all that they naturally lived a long time), and yet another following his quip about Dracula being his favorite childhood hero, he tossed her a perfectly innocent look and kept his comments to normal, non-vampire related references. 

Which brought them to dessert.

"Oh, tiramisu," Ash said, looking appreciatively at the tray that Claudine was carrying. "Our grandmother used to make that for us all the time."

_Yes, in addition to knitting sweaters for us and giving candy to all of the children she met while volunteering at the local hospital,_ Kestrel grumbled. _Will you give it a rest?_

_I like giving them a sense of our roots_, Ash answered, accepting a plate and a mug of coffee. _It makes me seem more family-oriented._

_Our grandmother is responsible for the near extinction of **wolves** in Colorado_, Kestrel snapped, declining the coffee but accepting the pastry.

_But she's really sorry she did it_, Jade offered.

_If I have to tell you three one more time... _

Given Rowan's tone of thought, none of the siblings decided to comment further.

Ash mentally sighed, looking down at the dessert. Although it was fun playing the normal-human-boyfriend role, it was getting late, and, because dinner had done nothing but give his taste buds a wild ride, he was starting to get hungry. Glancing over at Mary-Lynnette, he was impressed to see that she was still managing to keep a check on her temper. Not that he hadn't _tried_ to bait her as the evening went on, just to see what she'd do in front her dad. In the end, however, she'd opted for patience, only doling out the occasional assault on his leg to keep him in line. Considering that he'd decided to hold back on his usual biting sarcasm for the evening, those seemed to be the biggest reactions he was going to get from her.

The conversation around the table continued as Ash mused, the cross examining having ceased for the time being. Glancing at Kestrel, Ash had to concede, _Okay, the hospital volunteering thing was probably a bit much._

Still, he'd managed to construct a pretty solid picture of his background, giving Mary-Lynnette's father the impression that he was a young, ambitious man from a large family that was looking to discover his true passion and follow it through wholeheartedly while taking extremely good care of his daughter.

As a result, the details were all fabrications, though the general idea conveyed was not.

Although, Ash couldn't help but kind of wish that the details were true, too.

A throat clearing made his head dart up, and he noticed that Mark was exchanging looks with Claudine and Mary-Lynnette's dad. Before Ash knew what was happening, the young man took Jade by the hand and stood up, heading towards the living room. Kestrel and Rowan jumped up only a second later, gathering plates and insisting that they be allowed to help Claudine with the cleanup. Within a span of three minutes, the dining room was empty save for Mary-Lynnette, her father, and Ash.

_Uh-oh._

Clearing his throat, Mary-Lynnette's father leaned back in his chair, resting his head on his entwined hands.

Hearing Mary-Lynnette grumble under her breath, "Now what?" Ash was unable to stop from grinning before he looked up to see Mary-Lynnette's father intensely appraising him. Ash got the distinct feeling that the older man wanted him to back down.

_Oh, no you don't_, Ash thought, his grin fading as he steadily met the older man's gaze. _I've seen worse than you on my **good** days. I don't care if you ARE her father._

The staring went on for a long moment, Ash respectfully holding his own as Mary-Lynnette's father went through some sort of judgment, almost as if he could tell Ash's worth from his eyes alone. After a short while, her father moved forward, resting his arms on the table and reaching for his mug. "I like him," he informed Mary-Lynnette, sipping his coffee.

Mary-Lynnette let out a sigh that she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "_That's_ good to know," she said, relaxing for the first time that evening and resting against the back of her chair.

Giving her a patient look, her father dryly remarked, "Any young man that you feel is so important for me to like that you go an entire dinner without saying more than a handful of words must indeed be unique."

Blushing, Mary-Lynnette muttered, "I just wanted you to get to know him."

Ash sat back and watched the interaction between father and daughter with interest, sensing that there was something important that needed to be communicated between the two.

Her father glanced at him again before his eyes returned to his daughter – eyes, Ash noted ironically, that very much-resembled Mary-Lynnette's. "And I think I have," her father answered. "I may not have a sense of all of the details, but my feeling is that I can trust you with him."

Mary-Lynnette turned to look at Ash and gave him a smile. "You can," she affirmed, reaching under the tablecloth to gently squeeze his hand. "We may have our differences," she observed, Ash's lips twitching in amusement (_You can say that again_), "And even though he was showing you his _good_ side tonight... I know for certain that he _is_ trustworthy."

Arching an eyebrow (another trait that the father and daughter seemed to share, Ash noted), her father questioned, "_Good_ side?" His eyes narrowed speculatively, "Would this have anything to do with all the kickboxing you two seem drawn into?"

Letting go of his hand, Mary-Lynnette crossed her arms and muttered, "Every kick he's ever received from me was a kick that he deserved." Giving Ash a _look_ that assured him that she had remembered the verbal liberties he'd taken earlier and that she had no intention of going easy on him, she added: "Sometimes 'he inspires neither love, nor fear, nor even respect. He inspires uneasiness.'"

"Well it's not like it's easy to tell what kind of response you _want_ from me," Ash pointed out, crossing his arms and grumbling at his soulmate. "You were so quiet this evening, that 'whether you meant war, or peace, or prayer, I could not tell.'"

Somewhat stunned at the display between the two teens, her father eventually let out a chuckle. "_Heart of Darkness, _hmm?" Standing and picking up his coffee mug and dessert plate, he stepped around his chair on his way to the kitchen and commented, "If both of you can quote from Joseph Conrad, then I've no doubt you'll have a most interesting trip."

* * *

Mark and Jade sat on the front porch swing, the female vampire nestled comfortably against the human boy while the two enjoyed a quiet moment in the early summer evening. Light conversation had died some time ago, leaving the couple to their own thoughts; although Jade knew she'd have to leave soon to feed, she wasn't quite ready to give up the comfort of resting against her boyfriend.

Besides, she wanted to see what would happen when Mary-Lynnette and Ash finished dessert.

Tugging absently at a loose thread on Mark's shirtsleeve, Jade reflected on how much happier Mary-Lynnette looked now that Ash was back in town. Although the older girl hadn't necessarily seemed _unhappy_ while her soulmate had been away, there was a different sparkle in her eyes now that he was back.

_Even if some of it's because he makes her mad._

Turning her head up to look at her own boyfriend, Jade had to admit that although Mark made her feel many things, anger was not one of them. That was one of the reasons she liked being with him – they never got mad at each other. She didn't know if this meant that different people were different kinds of soulmates, or if it meant people that didn't argue weren't _really_ soulmates, or if -

"You look like you're thinking about something," he said.

Bringing his fingers up to her mouth, she kissed them delicately, teasing one of her canines with his fingertip and enjoying the ache it produced as her body reminded her that she really _should_ go and feed soon. "We don't argue with each other," she observed. "Not like Mary-Lynnette and Ash do."

Irony heavy in his voice, Mark responded, "Mary-Lynnette argues with everybody."

Feeling the need to point out the obvious to him, Jade said, "But she argues with Ash the _most_. Is it because they're soulmates? You and I don't argue."

Mark shrugged, shifting his weight so that he could draw her closer and gently kiss her temple. "I think they argue because of who they are. He's sarcastic and she's too serious. He has to prove something and she's judging him." He rolled his eyes. "Each wants to jump the other, but both are too scared to do much besides hold hands."

Jade blinked serenely, pondering Mark's answer as the last of the sun's gentle light disappeared, leaving behind a cloudy night sky. Mark let her take her time to gather her thoughts, knowing that his patience would be rewarded with a seemingly simple but deadly insightful observation.

"So they should stop being scared and just jump each other?"

Mark snorted, causing the swing to sway back and forth a little. "That could be one solution," he answered, chuckling when Jade looked up at him intently. "Another could be that they just need more time together."

"He needs to prove himself – to her, _and_ to himself," she stated, finally deciding to yield to her hunger and get ready for the evening's hunt, even if it meant missing out on seeing Ash and Mary-Lynnette. Sitting up, she added, "So that means that you can still be soulmates but not fight?"

Mark blushed, feeling a little overwhelmed by her earnest question. "I think so," he said.

Jade nodded, getting up and giving a little cat-like stretch. "That's good. I like thinking you're my soulmate, especially since we _don't_ argue." Here she made a face, "I think I'd get tired of that."

Mark grinned, appreciating her honesty but feeling slightly hesitant to return it. Taking her hand and squeezing it gently, he asked, "Are you going out, now?"

She nodded. "Yes. I'm hungry."

Standing up next to her, Mark was about to offer his company when the front door opened and Mary-Lynnette and Ash came out of the house.

"You just _had_ to show off, didn't you? You couldn't make it through an entire meal without telling half-truths and puns?"

"Oh, come on. It's not like he knows, and I seriously doubt he could _guess_ from what I said. He probably just thinks I'm just weird."

"That's because you _are_."

Mark and Jade stood still and stared at the other couple, partly in amusement and partly in practiced patience, as Mary-Lynnette rolled her eyes at her soulmate before hopping off the porch to head in the direction of her hill. Ash followed her and took her hand, giving her a playful nudge to counteract her sour expression. Looking up at his sister, Ash opened his mouth as if to say something, but decided against it, choosing simply to wave before the pair walked off into the night. The last that either Mark or Jade heard of them was Ash retorting: "Oh, stop being such a drama queen! He said he liked me!"

Slapping his forehead, Mark muttered, "Those two."

_No_, Jade thought to herself, reaching up to kiss Mark on the cheek before she went off to hunt, _it's much better to be with somebody that you don't always argue with._

* * *

"You're such a pain," Mary-Lynnette observed, keeping her eyes forward as they walked up the hill. Looking up, she noticed that the sky was completely overcast, adding to her slightly grouchy mood. 

"Well _that_ feeling is mutual," he grumbled, shoving his free hand into his pants pocket.

"What do you mean by _that_?"

Running his hand through his hair, Ash sighed with frustration, "I _tried_ to make a good impression on your parents and it worked. Now you're all snarky because I told a few inside jokes."

"_And_ spent half of dinner in telepathic conversations with your sisters, _and_ went over the top with gifts for Dad and Claudine. And, you know, those inside jokes were just ways to _flaunt_ the truth just because you could!"

"But he doesn't even _know!_ And he's agreed to the trip! It all worked out!"

"That's not the point. It's the principle of the thing!" she retorted. Although the conversation had begun with her feeling nothing more than mildly exasperated, the discussion was aggravating her emotions, and she could feel her anger rising to the occasion almost against her will.

"What? You're mad because I had some fun with the truth? Why can't you just focus on the part where I got his approval?" His eyes rapidly shifted into different colors as he grew more agitated. So caught up were the two that they didn't notice as they moved closer to each other, their other hands coming up to cling together.

Although Mary-Lynnette _was_ proud of him, and although she knew in her heart of hearts that Ash had done an amazing job with her father (despite the puns), she couldn't seem to stop and use logic to get rid of her anger. She discovered that she _liked_ being mad at him – it brought together all of her confusing emotions and made things seem clearer.

"The _principle_," she gritted out, narrowing her eyes at him and imagining that the pink haze forming around them the closer they got to one another was a metaphysical representation of her irritation, "is that you didn't take it seriously. I _thought_ you were supposed to be growing up!"

"You're calling me immature?" He asked, completely aghast.

"If the shoe fits," she tossed back.

"Just because I told some jokes?"

"_Because_ you were totally irresponsible with the truth and made _inappropriate_ jokes." Dropping his hands and crossing her arms, Mary-Lynnette scowled at him before adding, "And you made your family sound like the Brady Bunch."

Eyes wide, Ash sputtered for a few moments before finally exclaiming: "What else was I _supposed_ to say, Mary-Lynnette? 'Hi, Dad! I'm your daughter's vampire soulmate. Forget Boston - I grew up in an enclave off of the east coast. _Where_ is it, you ask? Well, here's the thing, I can't tell you! You see, if I _told_ you, I'd have to kill you. No, seriously! You, and your family, and the entire town. I was raised to think human were _vermin_, after all.'"

_Oh, no_, Mary-Lynnette thought in a panic, realizing that they had gotten completely carried away. _I didn't want this!_

"'Well, actually,'" Ash continued, his eyes nearly flashing with colors, "'That's what I _would_ have done a year ago. I'd have actually done the killing – remember, you're all _vermin._ That is, that's what I _thought_ until I met your daughter. Then, well Dad, this is going to sound weird, but she sort of saved my soul. Even though I was a totally even bastard, she _actually_ gave me a chance. So I went back to try to _fix_ things, and in that time period, I just haven't had _time_ for college. Maybe after I help to unite the Nightworld and the Dayworld, you and I could go out for a beer. I'll probably be 21 by then – perfectly legal by human standards – and we can chat about politics, the economy, and _professional football!_'" Finished with his rampage, Ash stood as if he were bracing against an attack, his breathing labored and his eyes looking slightly wild.

Mary-Lynnette was stunned.

_I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want him to tell me those things just because I hurt him._

"_Evil bastard ..."_

_Oh, God._

_Ash, do you really think that?_

Mary-Lynnette was so ashamed of herself, she could barely find the strength to meet his eyes, feeling tears spring to the surface of her own.

_You are not going to cry_, she sternly told herself. _You will **not** make this about you._

As usual, her body refused her mental command and she was left with tears softly streaking down her face. Still, she kept looking at Ash, trying to find a way to repair the damage she'd done.

Ash's thoughts and emotions were chaotic at best. Released from the stress of the evening, faced with a growing hunger from not having fed yet, confused and scared that Mary-Lynnette was rejecting him before he'd been back with her a full day, and angry that she wouldn't give him more of a chance, he was dangerously close to a breaking point. His canines ached with his hunter's need to protect himself, and his senses were more acute, picking up the scent of wildlife nearby.

After a few moments of silence, those same acute senses picked up on the scent of salt and wetness. Shaking his head to clear his vision, he finally made out Mary-Lynnette's figure through the pink haze around him, and was first surprised to see her so close to him, and then mortified to see that she was weeping.

_I made her cry again._

"Mary-" he coughed, clearing his throat. "Mary-Lynnette. I'm ... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry."

She didn't answer, and instead kept looking at him, her blue eyes wise and almost sorrowful in the evening light. Ash could do nothing but look back, his own gaze revealing the raw quality of his emotions.

Mary-Lynnette suddenly remembered another time, another place, where they had looked at each other much the same way – like hurt kids. On his aunt's front porch, just before he'd left last year, she'd felt with certainty that what they'd needed was to physically connect with each other but she'd almost been unable to do it. And when she had, it had been sudden and quick, like rusty mechanical gears haltingly scraping against each other within a machine. Like the gears, she and Ash were _supposed_ to click together, but it was almost impossible because of all that was between them.

_Is that what I need to do, now? Do I need to show him that I'm here? That I'm not angry with him? It was all just emotion, just stupid, illogical emotion. I wasn't even really **angry** before._

_Should I just fix it? Just tell him that it's all okay - that I love him?_

Biting her lip, she slowly closed the distance between them, reaching up for the first time since they'd known each other to thread her fingers through his hair. It felt silky in her hands, and she became slightly fixated on weaving her fingers through the golden strands. The contact brought them together, the sparks fizzing off of her fingertips as their bodies met. Still, despite the physical connection, something was still blocking her from feeling his emotions – there was still too much pain surrounding them.

Glancing away from her hand, she saw that Ash was staring at her, his eyes having settled to the most intense green she'd ever seen them. His breathing had quieted, and she knew he was waiting to see what she would do.

_You told me once, _she thought, reaching up to kiss his forehead and sensing from the shudder that ran through his body that she'd done the right thing. Moving to his temple, she slowly worked down his face with soft kisses, stopping just before she got to his lips.

_But did I ever tell you?_

"Ash," she said, drawing his face down to rest his forehead against her own, "I ... I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. I'm not sure why ..."

Why was she still so afraid?

_**Say** it, Mary-Lynnette. You've got to tell him. He has to know._

_You're the one who has to start growing up._

"But, no matter what … I love you," Mary-Lynnette whispered, the pain she felt finally receding so that she could once again sense _him_. She could feel his surprise – she could feel his _elation_.

Knowing how happy she'd made him almost worsened the guilt, given how long it had taken her to actually make the confession.

Through their soulmate bond, Ash knew that Mary-Lynnette was telling the truth. In actuality, he'd known for some time how she felt about him, but it was something entirely different to hear her _say it_. It was a declaration, a step – a sign of growing trust.

_She loves me_.

"And," she continued, not sure what to make of the new world she'd created now that that Ash had heard her feelings, but certain that if she kept talking then things would work out, "I _am_ proud of you. You really impressed my dad. I don't know why I got so upset. I was fine ... but then … I guess it's just something you do to me."

Tilting her face up to finally kiss him, she added, "I'm the one that's sorry."

They melted into the kiss, both of their nerves frayed from the unexpected argument. The action was almost desperate as they used touch to assure themselves that the other was there, that neither one had been rejected in light of the harsh words and accusations.

In contrast to their earlier arguing, Mary-Lynnette found the haze and the sparks to be _wonderful_. Although she could still feel the walls between them, although things weren't completely better yet, they were _healing_. Ash was strong against her, and she felt an instinctive need to let him fully support her – to let him carry her through anything just because he could and she knew that he would.

Pulling away breathlessly, both shivering from the intensity of the moment, she compromised between her fears and her instincts, leaning into him slightly so that he could hug her. They stood there for long moments: Ash holding her, Mary-Lynnette letting herself be held. After some time, she sighed and murmured, "I guess we still have a lot to talk about."

Ash shifted, and Mary-Lynnette pulled back slightly so she could see his face. "What is it?"

Ash had a faraway look in his eyes, but then he turned to meet her gaze. "Has it occurred to you that you and I haven't done much _besides_ talk?"

Thinking of that morning's "conversation" by the car, she didn't get much further than a blush before he amended, "You know what I mean. We haven't done a lot of _things_ together."

"We solved a murder case," she pointed out. "And killed a werewolf."

Rolling his eyes, he retorted, "Yeah, those were _great _dates."

Smiling slightly, she admitted, "I see what you mean. What do you suggest, then?"

After a heartbeat, he responded: "Let's leave for Vegas. Now. Tonight."

Mary-Lynnette blinked. "_That_ was random."

"Not really."

She stepped back, feeling slightly giddy when he kept a hold on her hands. Peering at him, she asked, "You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

Ash nodded, looking at her earnestly. "I'm tired of _talking_. We should do something – _anything_. We need to interact more. I want to learn more about you by _being_ with you."

Slightly flustered, Mary-Lynnette protested, "Ash, I'd need a few days to get ready."

"What do you need to do?"

"Pack," she supplied. "And do laundry before that."

"That takes five hours, tops."

"But I'd need time to let my dad know."

Ash gave her an amused glance, "That takes half an hour."

Feeling backed into a corner, she offered, "And money. I'd need to go to the bank and withdraw some of my graduation money for the trip."

Ash looked mildly offended. "I'm paying for it."

Dropping her hands and crossing her arms, she exclaimed, "Absolutely not!"

"Why?"

"Because! I can't let you pay for everything – that's insanely expensive!"

He shrugged, "I can afford it. Property and stocks, remember?" Seeing that she was going to protest again, he added, "Think of it as your graduation present. I still feel bad that I didn't go."

At a loss, Mary-Lynnette wasn't sure what else to cling to besides sheer stubbornness. Still, the _whole_ trip? Eventually she said, "Okay ... what if we compromise?"

Ash arched his eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"

"I know you have the money, but I still feel weird having you pay for everything. So, if you let me handle gas, and all the food I eat while we travel, I'll let you pay for everything else."

Nodding, Ash prodded, "And we leave tonight?"

Mary-Lynnette corrected, "And we leave the day after tomorrow. I still want one day to make sure I have everything."

Figuring that that was the best he was going to get, Ash smiled, taking her hands again and pulling her up against him. Giving her one last, lingering hug, she smiled at him as he released her, knowing that he needed to feed. Watching him as he jogged towards the woods, Mary-Lynnette wondered when she had gone from marching into gardens to dig up supposed buried bodies to being frightened of a car trip.

_I guess_, she mused, walking back to her house, _it all happened when I found out that I have more to lose now than just myself._

_

* * *

_  
And you are all now officially welcomed to Earthdragonette's World of Angst. Don't worry, there will be more than enough comedy and fluffiness to balance out the tugging on heartstrings. I like happy endings, after all.

The next update should, in theory, be on Monday. If it's going to be late, I'll post it in my profile. Any reviews between now and then would be greatly appreciated

Until next time!


	6. Chapter I6

  
I'm back! And alive! Trust me, there were some points during the last week or so where I honestly thought the former was impossible and the latter highly improbable. With my return, I have a treat for you. While writing Chapter VI, it kept getting longer ... and longer ... and longer ... and at one point I just decided to cut it in half. As a result, you now have Chapters VI and VII for your reading pleasure. Both are shorter than the other chapters I've posted, but I think it's easier to take this plot arc in two medium-sized doses instead of one ginormic one. 

Author's Warning: Both of these chapters have HIGH snort potential. Do not drink beverages while reading. You have been warned.

As usual, I'd like to thank all of those who reviewed since I last posted. You guys make it all worth it, and I _love_ knowing that you're enjoying this story.

SpiritofEowyn: That was one of my first real dives into the romance between these two. I swear, once Mary-Lynnette gets over her inhibitions, it's going to get absolutely nuts.

Pyrope::blush: That was so nice of you to say! That's a crazy compliment, and I can't thank-you enough. I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

amber-rules: Ash is so easy to fall in love with. He really is a romantic at heart, he just needs to remember it from time to time. I loved your input – as always.

Lunatic: Mary-Lynnette was definitely acting irrationally. I think this is one of those situations where she'll have fewer and fewer outbursts the more that they grow to understand each other. She has a lot of passion inside of her, but she's had to keep it reserved for so long. Sort of makes you wonder what our poor vampire will do once she decides to let it go, eh:grins: You have awesome insight, as always.

Shattered Immortality: Yikes! I never knew I inspired such emotion! You gave me so many compliments, I don't know if I could thank-you for each of them, but I'm so glad that you're having fun reading this. It's nice know that my jokes are getting through; I have a tendency towards an odd sense of humor :grins: As to the characters and plot twists – I blame it on Ash and Mary-Lynnette. They're very vocal and creative characters! Thank-you so much for reviewing, and enjoy the new chapters!

laura: Well, you get your wish! This road trip has more than a few instances of humor. Be prepared for some introspection as well, though. The road offers an excellent opportunity for thinking. I hope you like it!

Emerald: Thank-you :grins: And, I'll see your request and raise you a second chapter.

Chrios: Aaaaah. Sharp eyes. Thierry _was_ the first made vampire. Well, we can blame Ash's inaccuracies on the need to slowly introduce Mary-Lynnette to the Nightworld. chuckle If it gets bothersome, I can go back and change it. Thank-you for catching me on it, though. As to the other story idea, I'd never actually thought about doing something like that, but I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility. I'll just have to see how I handle the rest of these couples, first. )

crystleflys: You're right – it _is_ time that she started to give in. Of course, there are various levels of surrender ...

BeautifulAli: 1) Daybreaker interaction is _definitely_ on our agenda. 2) Ash and Mary-Lynnette seem to have a sort of air about them that make them almost _everybody's _favorite couple (myself included!) and 3) Since they're yours, too, I'm really happy you approve of my interpretations of them. Thank-you for your kind words.

Aglaia di Willow: I _do_ feel lucky. You reviewed _In My Sight_, as well. If you're still reading that, it'll be updated ... eventually. :-D In the meantime, is your penname related to the community? If so, then we may be kin. :grins:

Deborah: The next chapter ... and the chapter after that! I hope you like them as well as the ones that came before!

:pant: Okay, that being said, let's get to the new chapters. Enjoy!

* * *

_**For A Knight's Lady**_

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Mary-Lynnette glanced at her alarm clock (the object having made it back into her good graces once she'd discovered that its lapse in loyalty had been caused by low batteries instead of a traitorous soul), and was relieved to see it was only a little after eleven.

_I should get to sleep by one_, she thought, walking back to her closet to see what else she wanted to bring with her. _If I get up at seven, that'll give me six hours of sleep – plenty of time to be alert and ready to help drive and navigate._

Normally, the thought of voluntarily awakening at such an early hour would have been out of the question as far as Mary-Lynnette was concerned, but after a day of preparations, she was willing to forfeit some sleep if it meant getting the trip underway.

_After all,_ she mused, tugging down her all-purpose black dress from a hanger and sweeping down to get the heels that went with it, _Charles Dubois once said it was important to sacrifice what we are for what we could become._

"I am: well rested," she declared, carefully folding the dress into her suitcase. "However, I shall become: a traveler. I'll drive, explore, and discover sights never before encountered. Well," she amended, returning to her closet once again, "At least, sights _I've_ never before encountered."

Part of Mary-Lynnette's newfound excitement over the trip came from Ash having shown up on the doorstep that morning to thank her parents for dinner and to see if she wanted a ride to Klamath Falls. Briar Creek was completely useless insofar as stores were concerned, and although Chiloquin had a few small shops, Klamath Falls was big enough to host a Wal-Mart, which fit Mary-Lynnette's last minute shopping needs perfectly. The drive with Ash had given her a road-trip teaser of sorts, and the reality of the adventure had finally set in for her.

_Stumbling a little on her descent from the second floor, Mary-Lynnette was surprised to hear the doorbell ring as she made her way to the kitchen. Taking a slight detour, she went to see who it was, feeling a rather potent burning from the chord as she peered through the peephole and saw a bristly-looking Ash. Much more awake now, she opened up the front door and was cut off before she could speak._

_"__Klamath Falls."  
_

"_What?" she asked, yawning and feeling slightly disoriented._

"_I'll drive you to Klamath Falls today to get anything you need." Here he gave her such a desperate look that she couldn't help but be distracted by an onslaught of fuzzy feelings._

_Her brain somewhat waking up, she tried to point out, "But I can take –"_

"_I know you have your own car," he explained as she stepped aside to let him in. "But I NEED to get out of that house."_

_Wiping the sleep from her eyes and moving towards the kitchen, she gave him an amused glance. "Sibling issues?"_

_Ash leaned against the kitchen counter as she slowly moved to get breakfast together. "I can't **stand** it anymore," he complained. "Jade keeps sneaking up on me to give me tips on how not to argue with you, Kestrel switches off between winking at me and threatening me if I let anything happen to you, and Rowan ..." here he paused, shuddering._

"_What's she doing?" Mary-Lynnette held up a glass and gave him a questioning look._

_Shaking his head at the glass and declining the implied beverage, Ash continued, "She keeps giving me this empathetic, gentle **look**. And patting my arm. And whispering romantic advice." He scowled, "As if I **need** it."_

_Mary-Lynnette slid on a stool next to Ash, unable to keep a grin off her face. "Okay, okay. We'll go into town, just give me an hour."_

Mary-Lynnette's amusement had only increased when Ash nearly attacked her father a few minutes later, almost begging the older man for some sort of household chore to help with while Mary-Lynnette got ready. As such, by the time she was showered and dressed, over half of the front yard had been weeded and she was hard pressed to get Ash away from her father as he lamented the loss of the "best backhoe" he'd ever hired.

The drive, first to Mary-Lynnette's bank in Chiloquin, and then to Wal-Mart, had taken a little over an hour and the couple used the time to sort out a few general driving dynamics. Some things had been refreshingly simple – Ash had turned on the ignition and Mary-Lynnette a) had _not_ been deafened by overly loud music (given that vampires had sensitive hearing to begin with) and b) _had _been pleased that the music was a Pearl Jam CD. Deciding not to ask about the human-or-otherwise status of the band, she merely took it in stride that she and her soulmate shared some basic musical interests. One issue, however, had been slightly more difficult.

Ash liked to drive _fast._

And not just fast as in, "this is the backwoods of Oregon and there is obviously a lack of law enforcement" fast, but also the "I have superhuman reflexes and refuse to acknowledge wildlife, natural land formations, and other traffic" fast. Clenching the door handle with a white-knuckled grip, she'd used a few choice words to tell him to slow down. He'd responded with a few words of his own to remind her that it was his car and that he could drive it as he pleased.

The argument lasted throughout most of the drive.

By the time they'd reached the outskirts of Klamath Falls, however, she and Ash had managed to compromise. Given an absence of adverse driving conditions, Mary-Lynnette would keep quiet about his driving and try to trust him. In turn, Ash would actually slow down if she ever became genuinely frightened or carsick. Furthermore, in the event that he decided to drive _over_ eighty miles per hour, it was agreed that the convertible's cover would be used, as Mary-Lynnette had no desire to go flying out of the car at high speeds should something run amiss.

The shopping itself had taken a little less than an hour, but when Mary-Lynnette mentioned heading back to Briar Creek, Ash tossed her such a look of horror that she'd agreed to stay in town a little while longer for a late lunch. Stopping off at Old Town Pizza Co. (Ash's preference for Italian food becoming even more obvious as he'd cajoled her into the restaurant), they'd begun to discuss the particulars of the trip.

"_It's a fourteen hour drive," he informed her, nodding to their waitress as she set their pizza in front of them. One of the things that Mary-Lynnette was quickly learning about her soulmate was that even though his primary diet consisted of hemoglobin, he was very much a foodie, and with the raging exception of vegetables, had few culinary dislikes. _

"_That's pretty long," she commented, pulling a slice on to her plate. "You did it all in one day?"_

_Ash nodded. "Yeah. It's not so bad once you get started – if you have the right music, and you keep yourself from getting hypnotized by the road, things are fine. Besides," he added with a smug look, "I don't need a lot of bathroom breaks."_

_Groaning slightly at the superior tone, Mary-Lynnette chose to ignore that detour. "Okay, so should we drive it all at once?"_

_Ash scooped up some cheese from his plate and answered, "Two days would be better. I left around midnight last Friday to get in by early afternoon on Saturday. You may be a night owl, but that's probably too much."_

_Mary-Lynnette added, "And there's no need to rush, right? It's our vacation after all."_

_Ash grinned at her. "Right."_

"_So ... where do we stay Tuesday night?"_

_He chewed for a minute before responding, "Our route takes us through California – I like it better than going through the country. Besides, it solves our problem. My family has a house in Beverly Hills. Technically, it's about eleven hours to get there from here, but I think we could probably make it in nine or ten. That way, we can relax in the morning and take our time getting to Vegas." _

_Mary-Lynnette mentally winced. It looked as though her meeting with the Redfern Fortune was going to happen sooner than she'd anticipated. Glancing up at him, she saw that he was trying hard to ease her into his family's lifestyle, and she felt herself relax. "Why not?" she said. "This trip is going to be full of big houses – I might as well start getting used to them. It could be fun."_

_Relieved, Ash grabbed another slice and assured her, "It** is** fun. My parents won't be around – they don't use it a whole lot – so we should have the place to ourselves." He gave her slightly leering look. "It has a private pool. With a fence around it." _

_Coughing primly, Mary-Lynnette decided not to address **that** subject, either. "So what time do you think we should leave?"_

_Unable to drop it completely, Ash teased, "Early enough so that we can get in some quality swimming time." He dodged a napkin that Mary-Lynnette aimed at his chest. "You **are** bringing bathing suits, right?" And another, this one targeting his head. "I mean, Thierry has a swimming pool, too." A third, again aimed at his head, finally made contact._

_Holding his hands up in peace, he suggested, "How about seven?" Mary-Lynnette blanched, her entire body rejecting the notion of getting up at six a.m. "That's really ... **really **... early," she observed, pushing her plate away to keep from grabbing a fourth slice. _

"_Well, it **is** a ten hour drive," he reminded her._

True_, she thought. _But seven is so **early**._ "Let's leave at eight. I can handle eight."_

After a little more discussion where they'd agreed to plan on the whole trip lasting about two or three weeks, the topic had shifted as Mary-Lynnette began to describe some of the things that she'd done during the year. She was happy to see that Ash was genuinely interested in the astronomical observations she'd been making about Venus, and as they'd left the restaurant, he'd asked her how much she'd read about the history of astronomy.

"_Not much," she admitted._

Pleased that he'd finally found a realm of information that he knew more about then her, Ash had lead the conversation on their drive back to Briar Creek, explaining to her some of the theories of Ptolemy, one of the original geocentric astronomers from Egypt. Although she had been familiar with the school of thought that placed the earth at the center of the universe, she enjoyed hearing Ash describe the scholar's relentless use of the circle in tracking the movement of heavenly bodies.

"_How do you know all of this?" she asked as they'd parked in front of her house._

_Ash shrugged and climbed out of the driver's side, reaching into the backseat to help her with some of her bags. "There a few advantages to growing up in an enclave filled with weird books. We have old copies of the **Almagest**."_

"_The what?"_

"_Ptolemy's treatise."_

Before she could reply, Mark and Jade had wandered out of the house to see if they needed any extra help – Mark's generosity stemming from a fervent desire to avoid any and all future encounters with invertebrates in his bed. Although originally tempted to retaliate, he knew the prank war would only escalate and was forced (for the present time) to acknowledge his sister's superior intelligence. Jade had also been against him antagonizing her when Ash was in town and already doing a good job of it.

A brief discussion of the day had lead to plans for the evening, and the four had decided to watch a movie. Although Mary-Lynnette had protested at first, thinking of all the packing she had to do, Ash managed to convince her that a couple of hours wouldn't make a difference. Thus, it wasn't until after watching _Wayne's World_ that Mary-Lynnette was able to get upstairs, leaving Ash vehemently arguing with Mark about, of all things, video games.

Which brought her to the present, and the dilemma of packing for weeks of travel.

_I have the dress for shows, shorts and jeans for desert travel, camping and sightseeing, as well as shirts and shoes for all of the above,_ she thought, critically inspecting her suitcase. Just as she was wandering to her chest of drawers to retrieve her bathing suits, she heard a knock at her door and felt the tingle of the soulmate chord.

"Come on in," she called.

Ash opened the door and walked in, leaving the door slightly ajar as he took a seat on her bed. She noted that he'd fed recently, his eyes (now blue) almost wild with an inhuman intensity, and the rest of him taking on a graceful, ethereal look.

_It's like he's glowing from the inside_, she thought, _but it's not the same way hydrogen and oxygen make the stars glow. It's ... _

She glanced at him again, his resemblance to a contented lion touching something primal inside of her and making her shiver slightly.

_It's power. Raw, sacred power._

Clearing her throat to keep her mind from wandering down a certain gutter, she asked him, "So, who won the great debate?"

Ash grimaced. "Nobody. He's delusional – there's no way to reason with him."

"You're preaching to the choir," she informed him, switching around some things in her suitcase so her bathing suits would fit. "I've been trying to reason with him since the day he was born. Dare I ask what the disagreement was about?"

Ash flopped onto his back, examining the ceiling with interest. It was his first time in Mary-Lynnette's room, and he was more than a little curious as to what kinds of things she kept around. "He's misguided. He thinks Final Fantasy VII is going to 'change the gaming world as we know it.' I told him the graphics aren't going to be that great, but he wouldn't listen to me." He grabbed one of her pillows and tucked it under his head, deeply inhaling the traces of her scent the movement stirred up. Watching her intently as she packed, he couldn't help but feel content and relaxed.

Mary-Lynnette smiled, kneeling down to grab her backpack from under her bed so she could fill it with CDs and books. "First ancient mathematicians and now modern video games. I never knew I had a Renaissance man for a boyfriend."

Standing so that he could get a better look at the awards and trophies that she had on her bookshelf, he tossed out, "Well, I'm multitalented."

"It would seem so." Arranging things in the various pockets of her backpack, she offered, "If you see any books that you want for the trip, let me know. You probably didn't bring a lot with you on the way down."

"I have stuff back at the Vegas mansion if I want it," he said, impressed by her wide spread of academic awards. He was amused to note that tucked at the back of the bookcase were two tiny awards for third and fourth grade bowling leagues.

"I mean," Mary-Lynnette clarified, "For the drive."

Ash gave her a confused look. "For all that I'm not human, I only have two eyes. I can't read and drive at the same time."

Looking up at him with an almost identical confused expression, she tried again. "I was talking about for when _I'm_ driving."

_When you're **what?**_"Whoa. Hold on," Ash said, leaning against her desk. "Who said _anything_ about you driving?"

She stood up, feeling the familiar buzz that she got whenever the two of them started to disagree on something. Still, she didn't want to overreact, so she calmly explained, "Nobody, I guess, but I assumed I _would_ be since both of us _can_ and it's a long drive."

Ash gave her a lazy grin. "Oh," he replied, "that's simple enough then. It's my car. I'm the only one that drives it."

Starting to lose the grip on her temper, she gently (_very_ gently) pointed out, "Ash, it's a fourteen hour trip."

He shrugged. "I've got crazy stamina. I can handle it."

"_Ash_," she grit out, the room taking on the telltale pink haze. "I wasn't worried about your stamina. I don't want to _sit _and do _nothing_ for fourteen hours."

Ash sighed and looked at her as if he were patiently explaining something to a small child. "Mary-Lynnette, a man's car is like a special part of his body. Nobody touches or handles it except the man himself."

_Now_ she was mad. "Ash Redfern, I'm your soulmate. If I can't touch and handle all of your _special parts_, then who do you suppose _can?_"

Ash opened his mouth to respond, but found himself completely unable to produce words. Mary-Lynnette, the silence giving her a moment to calm down, was horrified once she realized exactly what she had said. Both of them stood there giving each other owlish expressions until a knock at the door made them jump.

Mark stuck his head in, oblivious to the tension in the room. "Hey, Ash, want to check out some cheat codes I found for Diablo?"

Coughing slightly, he gave Mark a nod. "Yeah, that sounds great." Walking to Mary-Lynnette, he gave her a light kiss. "I'll be by a little before eight," he said, her shock letting her do little more than nod at him.

After Ash shut the door, Mary-Lynnette collapsed on to her bed, cursing all forms of soulmate chords and attractive vampires.

* * *

Seven fifty-five the next morning found Mary-Lynnette waiting in the driveway for Ash to arrive. Given her world-renowned dislike of getting out of bed before ten o'clock unless school or astronomy was involved, she was extremely pleased with herself. 

Her father and Claudine had risen early with her so that they could go over some information and, to Mary-Lynnette's relief, so that her dad could give her his credit card to use for emergencies. Although she knew Ash could handle any financial crisis that popped up, she was happy to have a little more individual flexibility.

Mary-Lynnette scowled in the early summer air. _The nerve of that bully_, she thought, still somewhat seething about the link between his male ego and his car. _I could totally drive that thing – probably better than he could considering he uses his brakes as an afterthought._

The sound of a car engine chased away some of her dire thoughts and she squinted against the rising sun, eventually identifying Ash's red convertible in spite of the glare. Leaving her luggage by the driveway, she jogged back to the house, calling out to her parents that Ash had arrived and then making her way to the kitchen to toss some drinks into a small cooler. Once she emerged back outside, she noted that her father and Claudine were already speaking with Ash in quiet tones, no doubt giving _him_ some last minute "friendly advice." Hearing phrases such as "speed limit" and "designated driver," she could tell that the make and model of Ash's car made her father more than a little nervous. Tossing him a cheerful grin, Mary-Lynnette went to gather her luggage, but then noticed that Ash had taken the liberty of putting her suitcase in the trunk and that her purse and travel bag were on the floor of the passenger side. Grumbling slightly about gender roles, she set the cooler in the backseat and prepared to say her goodbyes.

His eyes (now a light blue) lit on her once she'd dropped the cooler in the backseat, and his arm was quick to snake around her waist once she'd gone to stand beside him. Doing her best to keep a rein on her irritation at being confined to her relatively useless role, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before turning her attention to the conversation.

"And you're sure the … car … can take you the whole trip?" her father asked, eyeing the red vehicle with distrust.

"I'm sure, Mr. Carter," Ash answered, rubbing the top of the car affectionately. "I know she doesn't look like a whole lot, but she's very reliable, and I've had some extra work put into her. She'll definitely get us where we need to go."

"That doesn't make me feel better," her father grumbled, leaving the group to personally examine the wheels.

"And you have enough to eat?" Claudine probed, tucking back her curly, dark hair behind her ears. "You have a long drive and it doesn't sound like you will be stopping much."

_This wouldn't be the time to mention the cooler **I** brought,_ Ash thought. "We'll be fine," he assured her. "We can always go for fast-food if we need to."

"And you have enough money?" this from both parents, as Mary-Lynnette's father returned, looking somewhat more satisfied with his daughter's form of transportation.

"And we have enough money," both Mary-Lynnette and Ash answered, following it with mutually startled looks.

_Oh, no_, Ash thought.

_We're doing the OLD-couple-thing_, Mary-Lynnette fretted. 

Mary-Lynnette's father shook his head ruefully and moved to give her a hug. "Just be careful," he instructed. "And call us when you get to Ash's house."

Mary-Lynnette nodded and gave her stepmother a hug, grateful that they had gotten through the last of the interrogations. Ash did the same, feeling slightly surreal as he received not only hugs, but also obvious acceptance from each of Mary-Lynnette's guardians.

After the couple settled into the car and adjusted the music to mutual satisfaction, Ash put the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway. They hadn't gone more than a half-mile before he pulled over on to the side of the road. Having been busy rifling through her CDs, Mary-Lynnette looked up and was alarmed to see that Ash, formerly composed and alert, was currently looking exhausted and rumpled. "What's wrong?"

Ash unbuckled his seat belt. "Climb out," he ordered, opening his own door and getting out of the car. Confused, but not sure what else she should do, she followed suit. She was further startled when Ash scooted past her and almost fell into the passenger side seat, buckling up before looking at her expectantly. Still baffled at the turn of events, she finished the switch, sitting in the driver's seat and adjusting it for her shorter legs.

"Can you get to US-97?" he asked, his voice sounding empty.

"Uh... yeah," she answered, turning on the ignition.

"Follow it to I-5. You'll stay on the former for about a hundred miles. Then you'll stay on I-5 until we get near Santa Monica. Wake me if something goes wrong. Don't ride the breaks, and if you hit anything, I may never forgive you." Here he turned on to his left side and started to shut his eyes.

Mary-Lynnette sat there for a moment before it dawned on her. "Ash Redfern," she prompted.

He opened one amber eye at her. "What?"

"How late did you and my brother stay up last night?"

Ash winced, his body contracting in pain at the memory. "I left your house at six thirty."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What about your legendary stamina?"

Ash grumbled. "Kestrel wanted to go hunting at seven."

"So you last slept ..."

"Two days ago."

"And you started driving because ...?"

"I have an image of responsibility to maintain with your parents."

She was about to push the subject some more but then she realized how, well ... cute he looked curled up in the seat next to her. Unable to stay mad at him when he looked so sleepy, she couldn't help but grin and pull the car back out on to the road.

"You know," she informed him as she settled into the drive, "You can't just look cute and tired whenever you act like a chauvinistic pig."

Ash yawned. "I know," he said. "But let me get away with it just this once."

* * *

From here, I encourage you to continue to Chapter VII. As an added bonus, you'll find it to be mostly author-note free. Enjoy!  



	7. Chapter I7

Like I said, there aren't many author's notes before this chapter. Author's Snort Warning is still in effect.

* * *

**_For A Knight's Lady_**

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Mary-Lynnette had been driving for about two and a half hours when the creature beside her began to stir. Glancing over, she couldn't help but smile as he burrowed his head under his arms, trying to get away from the sunlight. Holding on to the wheel with one hand, she grabbed his sunglasses from the cup holder and handed them to him. 

"Ugh," Ash mumbled, shaking his head to clear away the dizziness. Putting on the sunglasses, he then gave a long, back-arching cat-stretch before moving the seat up. Taking a look around, he nodded with approval. "We're in California?"

"Have been for a little less than half an hour," she answered, looking behind as she moved to change lanes. "We're on I-5."

Ash yawned again, looking around the car to take stock of what had happened while he'd been asleep. His gaze falling on the dashboard, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You don't have the music on?"

Mary-Lynnette blushed faintly and shook her head. "I wasn't sure how sensitive your hearing would be while you slept ... and you looked really tired."

Feeling a sense of warmth spread through his chest, Ash couldn't have stopped the smile he gave her even if he'd wanted to. "Thanks."

"No problem."

The car was silent for a few moments as Ash continued to wake up, the odd sleeping schedule and even odder sleeping location making him feel somewhat out of sorts. After he'd reoriented himself, he twisted around to the backseat and saw the cooler Mary-Lynnette had brought with her.

"What's in the cooler?"

Glancing back at the Styrofoam container, she shrugged. "Just a few drinks – that way I don't have to buy them on the way."

"Can I have one?"

She grinned. "Only if you get one out for me, too."

Twisting around even more and nearly cutting off his circulation with the seatbelt in the process, Ash managed to unearth two cokes, setting the cold beverages in the front of the car. Glancing up at his soulmate as she mumbled a curse at a truck driver, he took the extra initiative and opened her can for her, holding it a little higher so she could easily take it when the danger had passed.

Accepting the coke, Mary-Lynnette was relieved to feel the mild jolt of caffeine hit her system. Although she'd had plenty of sleep the night before, getting up so early _had _had some unfortunate effects, and she wasn't too proud to resort to mild narcotics to keep her in top form. Which reminded her of a question she'd been meaning to ask ...

"Hey Ash?"

Swallowing his own mouthful of soda, he responded, "Yeah?"

"Human food and beverages don't do anything for you, right?"

He settled back and adjusted the seatbelt slightly, approving of Mary-Lynnette's driving for the time being and willing to let her stay in control for a little while longer. "Right. Well," he corrected, "It's not that human food doesn't do _anything_ for us. I mean, we can taste it and it'll make us feel full. We just don't get any nutritional value out of it and it won't recharge our powers or more mystical abilities."

"What about drugs?"

Ash blinked. "Come again?"

"Drugs," she clarified. "Like, marijuana, or alcohol. Or," pointing to the cans, "caffeine. Can you drink coffee and feel more awake? Do narcotics affect vampire physiology?"

Ash shook his head. "Not as far as I know. Granted, I haven't tried a whole lot of those, knowingly at least." Mary-Lynnette gave him a funny look and he moved on to explain, "In a lot of the clubs I go to, they lace drinks for the shifters and witches – they're crazy affected by stuff like that. If I ever had any of it, I wouldn't have noticed."

_And yet another thing to process_, she thought. "So what do vampires do to get high?"

Ash was somewhat uncomfortable. "This is a really weird conversation."

She looked at him sideways and was more determined to hear his answer. "Come on, I've been wondering about it."

Ash sighed and looked out the window for a few minutes before responding. "Things with blood. Things with power. Things with telepathy. Once you tap into your brain ... or someone else's brain, there are a whole lot of messed up things you can do for a buzz." He stayed facing the window, his arms crossed against his chest.

_And I imagine you've done more than a few of those_, she thought. She didn't react for a minute or so, but then reached out with her right hand to touch his left arm and squeeze it gently. Ash jumped slightly at the unexpected physical contact and then felt another rush of warmth as he realized that she wasn't going to condemn him for those particular past activities.

"At least you know now that that stuff is 'messed up,'" she observed, rubbing his arm gently before returning both of her hands to the steering wheel.

"Yeah," he acknowledged. "You'd be surprised how much you can learn from Circle Daybreak in just a year." Clearing his throat, he examined the gas level and suggested, "You might want to stop the car soon so we can fill up. I can drive for awhile."

* * *

"Come on, just try it," Mary-Lynnette urged, shifting sideways so that she could look at him straight on. 

"No way."

"Oh, come on. It's fun."

"I am not playing the license plate game with you. It's stupid."

"Ash, we've been in the car for five hours. I want to play a car game."

"Can't you just read?"

Mary-Lynnette glowered.

Ash winced. "I guess that would be 'no.'"

"Right. This is a trip. Quality time. We should be doing things _together_."

"We are," he whined, briefly swerving out of his lane to pass another car and darting back into his original one.

Mary-Lynnette held on to the door handle during the stunt, gritting her teeth so as not to tell him to slow down or, heaven forbid, actually _watch out_ for other motorists. "We should be doing more," she pushed.

"We've been talking," he pointed out, nearly flooring the gas pedal as he pushed the car past seventy-five miles an hour.

Fighting the additional force pushing her back into her seat, she replied, "Yes. About lots of things – my school, your enclave, my mom, your mom, my brother, your sisters. We need a break. We need a game."

Ash shot her a look, his eyes light green. "You're not going to drop this, are you?"

_I think they're green when he feels strongly about something,_ she thought._ When he's in his top form or has been pushed to his limits. _Reining her attention back to the conversation, she assured him, "Not in a million years."

He sighed heavily and dropped his head against the seat, throwing in the towel. "Okay, fine. Pick a car."

Clapping excitedly, Mary-Lynnette sat forward. "Woo! Okay ... up ahead. See the VW bug?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah, the license plate is KML-24J."

"Let's use KML," she suggested.

"I'm partial to 24J, myself."

"Ash ..."

"But KML is a _lovely_ phrase-provoking combination," he amended, rolling his eyes.

"KML," she began. "Kangaroos Mostly Leap."

Ash groaned. _This is retarded_. "Kids Meddle Lots."

"Kites Move Lightly."

"Uh ... Kittens Mew Loudly."

"Oh, nice one," she complimented. "Um ... Knives Manipulate Lasagna."

"That's convoluted," he accused.

"But it _works_."

Ash's turn was next, but he became hard pressed to think of another phrase. Seeing the time tick away on his watch, he knew if he didn't come up with an answer in another ten seconds or so, then Mary-Lynnette would win this round and they'd have to keep playing.

Suddenly, he had it. Grinning, he leaned over and quickly covered her lips with his own.

"What was that for?" she asked, feeling slightly dazed.

He gave her a cocky grin. "Kiss Mary-Lynnette."

* * *

"I think you're being too harsh on Kurtz," Ash commented, propping his feet up on the dashboard and tucking his hands behind his head. 

Mary-Lynnette steadied the wheel with her left hand and used her right to grab a few french-fries from the McDonald's bag. She'd managed to convince Ash to stop at the fast-food chain a little less than half an hour ago after pointing out that although _he_ could survive on the deer's blood he'd brought in his cooler, _she_ needed something more substantial.

And, of course, as soon as they'd pulled away from the restaurant, he'd started to steal her fries.

Smacking his hand away from the bag for the tenth time she asked, "How do you figure that? And stay away from my processed starch."

Shaking his hand and glaring at her briefly, he sighed in momentary defeat and returned his hand to behind his head. "Well, you object to using him as the hero in _Heart of Darkness_ because he doesn't go "completely native," but then you want to use him as some kind of role model for Marlow. I don't think you can have it both ways."

Mary-Lynnette wiped her hand on her jeans before gripping the wheel again, sitting up slightly so that she could stretch her back. Her eyes briefly flickered to the clock and she noted they were six and a half hours into the trip. She figured she'd drive for another hour or so before letting Ash take the heavier traffic they were bound to encounter the closer they got to southern California.

"Well," she replied, "Let me ask this: what do _you_ think of Marlow?"

Ash shrugged. "I know he's supposed to be the hero – the one with the most unbiased point of view, but he kind of bothers me. Did you ever notice that he has huge fixations on the 'black' side of Africa?"

Mary-Lynnette furrowed her brow. "Elaborate?"

"Well, take the example of his first observations of the station. He tries to set it up so that we feel he's the most objective character in the novel, but he spends a_ lot_ of time describing the horrors that he sees – and he uses the words 'black' and 'white' repeatedly. I think he's obsessed with the difference."

_That reminds me of ..._ "Oh! I remember, now," she said. "'They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing early now—nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation.'" She shook her head. "I never caught that."

Ash nodded. "That part goes on to talk about moribund shapes and black skeletons. I think Marlow has an obsession with the African that makes him less objective than he'd like to see himself."

Mary-Lynnette nodded, "Okay, so why does Kurtz fail as a role model for a somewhat blind Marlow?"

"You tell me."

She thought for a moment, trying to draw up passages and phrases from the book that she'd read a few short months ago. Ash waited patiently, taking the time to sneak a French fry or two while she was preoccupied. Eventually she offered, "Okay. I still hold that Kurtz fails as an existentialist hero, and I think what you pointed out about Marlow's flaws are true. Is it possible, then, that it's a lesser evil to acknowledge differences between races and to exploit them?"

"As opposed to thinking that you're above them but you really just can't stop obsessing about it?"

"Exactly."

_Interesting_, Ash thought. "So that would mean that at least Kurtz recognizes his own flaws and isn't trying to conform to any sort of established moral code? White or black?"

"I think so," Mary-Lynnette answered, turning on the windshield wipers as rain started to sprinkle down from above. "I'd still argue that he doesn't disregard enough of the established systems to qualify as, say, an existentialist hero ..."

"But he has enough consciousness about his actions so that Marlow could learn from him," Ash concluded. "That's really smart. Of course you realize that your entire theory rests upon your audience agreeing to a system of relative morality."

Mary-Lynnette arched her eyebrow. "My _audience_? Is that what you are?"

Ash grinned and threw one of her own phrases back at her: "It would seem so."

"Does that mean I get applause and roses?"

"It means I'm one of your biggest fans."

* * *

Ash stepped out of the mini mart, tucking his wallet into his back pocket. Although he'd agreed to let Mary-Lynnette pay for the gas on the trip, it wasn't _his_ fault if they needed to refuel while she was napping. 

Then again, some would argue that putting more gas in one's car was unnecessary when you still had half a tank of gas left. Still, Ash was a firm believer that it was better to be safe than sorry.

_She'll never know_, he thought, taking a minute to look at her through the window before getting back into the car. The warm feeling that he'd felt in his chest that morning had been steadily growing all day, and it had increased tenfold when he realized that this was the first time he'd ever seen her asleep.

_Did she feel the same way this morning when **I** was taking a nap?_ He wondered, sliding into the driver's seat and turning the key. _Did she feel ... this tender?_

Ash had always thought that Mary-Lynnette was beautiful, even though their first meeting had consisted of a handful of insults and more than a few kicks to his shins. Despite the animosity, he couldn't help but be captivated by the wave of her hair, or the intensity of her eyes. Unlike his own, Mary-Lynnette's were always a steady blue. The fire inside of her was warm and constant, and he was quickly realizing how badly he wanted to be able to depend on that constancy.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he urged the car forward, deftly making his way back to I-5. It was about 5:30, and he anticipated getting to the West-Coast house within the next hour or so. He moved to turn on the radio, but took another look at the young woman sleeping next to him and decided against it.

_It wasn't just her beauty that got to you,_ his mind whispered.

_Are we **still** on this subject?_

_Do you have anything else you'd rather think about?_

_Well, no, not really._

Ash had often wondered about the kinds of emotions the soulmate principle evoked in couples. After first meeting his other half, his entire world had seemingly crashed down around him in light of the new, unexpected, and extremely intense love he had felt. His beliefs, his morals, his_ identity _– they were all insubstantial whims that he'd just been following for lack of any real direction. But it all changed when he met one human girl. She was solid; she was real. With her came new standards for behavior and a new way of regarding life. And underneath all of these changes there remained that initial, intense emotion.

_"I seem to love you sort of desperately."_

He had honestly meant those words when he'd said them to her a year ago, and they still held true. Taking his eyes off the road briefly, he stole another look at Mary-Lynnette, feeling protective of her while she lay in her most vulnerable state. He reached over and brushed a few dark strands of hair away from her face, his fingertips lingering on her soft skin.

_But love isn't always intense,_ Ash thought, returning his attention to the road. _At least, it isn't always **just** intense. It can be gentle, too. The more I know her, the more careful I want to be with her. The more we talk, the more I understand her._

_I think my love is deeper, now._

_That must be part of being a Knight,_ he realized. _I can't just be a warrior that goes off and slays dragons that are far away from her. I have to be a Lord who can stay behind **with** her. She needs to be protected, understood, and helped. Love starts the relationship, but you need more than just the sparks to keep it going._

_That's why I had to come back._

_Well, one of the reasons._

He thought back to their conversation from earlier that day – the one where she had asked about vampires and narcotics. The topic had made him distinctly uncomfortable as it danced around a subject area that was hard for him to forgive_ himself _for – much less one that he would expect Mary-Lynnette to accept. To use telepathy, blood, or even chemicals to control one's prey was something many young vampires did – especially the males from larger, more powerful families. Given that the Redfern family was_ the_ most influential in the Nightworld, Ash had certainly lived up to the stereotype when it came to seduction and manipulation.

Ash winced, trying hard to chase away the memories. _You're a different person, now_, he reminded himself. _You know those kinds of things are wrong, and you know that you did them because you didn't know better. And ... because you were lonely._

_But you're not lonely anymore, _he told himself._ And you're making up for what you did – one life at a time._

He let out a slow breath, noticing for the first time that his grip on the steering wheel had become rather tight. He heard Mary-Lynnette mumble in her sleep, and a slight change in her scent told him that she would be waking soon. That brought back another memory, one that knocked away all of the darker ones.

_"I love you."_

She cared for him – just as much as he cared for her. Furthermore, she had shown him today that despite learning hearing more unsavory information regarding his past, she would still stand beside him. Her constancy was showing through, day-by-day and hour-by-hour.

Leaning over slightly to kiss her temple, he thought to himself, _Although we still have a lot to learn, I think we're finally figuring out the basics._

* * *

"How much further?" Mary-Lynnette asked, feeling increasingly nervous as the houses around them seemed go grow exponentially larger. 

Ash grinned. "A little less than a mile. We're almost there."

"And you're sure you won't have family there that I'll have to meet? I don't know if I'm ready for that."

Ash grimaced. "I don't think my family would be ready for that, either. Things are, ah, a little tense between some of the members right now."

She looked at him suspiciously. "You never mentioned that before. Neither did your sisters."

He raised his hand to run it through his hair, clearing his throat. "It's nothing. Just a little disagreement."

"About _what_?"

"Oh ... nothing much. The general relationship between humans and vampires. Nothing to get worried about."

Mary-Lynnette covered her face with her hands. "That's not very reassuring."

Ash waved his hand, dismissing the issue. "It's really nothing to worry about. Nobody ever comes to this house – we don't even have a butler. It's just empty in case one of us decides we need to use it."

"How often have you been here?" she asked, her eyes widening as they passed by a four-story mansion surrounded by a black iron fence.

"Once or twice," he answered, making a left on to North Canon Drive. "Some of my cousins on my dad's side use it fairly frequently, but they're not conservatives. If we keep quiet, I doubt they'll even –" pulling onto the property and making his way around a long driveway to the small parking lot in front of the entryway, Ash was presented with a sight that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Oh, no," he moaned.

Mary-Lynnette was temporarily oblivious to her soulmate's despair. Climbing out of the car, she paid only passing attention to the Integra parked next to them.

_Oh, my God ..._

Although she had jokingly referred to Ash's family as holding the Redfern Fortune, this house was enough to jolt her into reality.

_And this is one of their **extra** houses?_

The West-Coast house was nothing short of a masterpiece. From the front, all Mary-Lynnette could clearly see was a stone pathway off to the left that looked as though it led to some tennis courts, and a huge beige and brown limestone entryway surrounding an enormous wooden door. The entire structure was surrounded by a well-kept garden, and she could hear the hissing of a fountain in the background. Walking slowly towards the steps, she noted that the house looked to be only two stories, but it was all spread over at least a half an acre.

"Ash ..." she called weakly, "This isn't a house. This is a hotel."

"This is a disaster," he answered.

Finally shaking off some of her awe, she turned to look at him. "What are you talking about?"

Leaning against the car and rubbing his temples, Ash pointed to the forgotten car. "_That_," he said. "That is a disaster."

"What's wrong with the car? It –" Mary-Lynnette was cut off by the sound of the front door opening. Turning to look behind her, she was startled to see a tall, attractive, dark haired youth walking towards them. Unsure of who it might be, she instinctively moved closer to Ash, getting the sense that all was not well between the two males.

"Well, well. I didn't expect_ you_ to be here tonight," the tall boy said, giving a twisted smile that vaguely reminded Mary-Lynnette of old photos she'd seen of James Dean.

"I could say the same for you," Ash answered, the irritation heavy in his voice.

"Jamie? Who is it?" A small, disturbingly elfin-like female burst out of the house, nearly colliding with the group. She looked at Ash in surprise. "_Ash?_ What're _you_ doing here? We thought you went to . ." Here the girl looked at Mary-Lynnette with an intense, emerald gaze. Then she smiled. "Oregon."

"And I thought you guys were in Vegas. Far. Away. In. Vegas."

Mary-Lynnette was confused. "Ash, can you introduce me?"

The blond vampire sighed and vaguely waved his hand in the direction of the other two teens. "That's James. He's a cousin – one of the liberal ones. And that's Poppy. You two will probably have _loads_ to talk about."

"Why's that?" Mary-Lynnette asked.

"I used to be human like you," Poppy said simply. "Then James, my soulmate, made me into a vampire."

* * *

Daybreaker interaction! We thought it'd never get here! 

These two parts were a little shorter than usual, so I apologize for that, but hopefully the massive plot leap was worth it. We're definitely picking up speed now, so I ask everybody to hold on for the ride, and, if you get a chance, to let me know what you thought.

See you in Chapter VIII!


	8. Chapter I8

Well, I'm back, but I certainly have no sense of time. I keep having these nice, concise chapters planned out, and then they just sort of get away from me. As such, this chapter is _pretty_ long – definitely the longest we've had so far. I'm going to take about a week to get Chapter IX out – it's a really important one that's central to switching gears from all of this _thinking _to a lot more _doing_. Remember my teaser? Well, we've had our "journey," but we're still missing our "guest." Expect _that_ around Chapter X!

Okay, enough with my soapbox. Here are my traditional expressions of gratitude and worship to those that review. You guys crack me up with some of your responses, and you ALWAYS humble me. Thank-you so much for reading this story!

scary miss mary:evil grin: I've had that particular line in my head since this entire fanfiction started. I was so happy to finally be able to use it and I'm glad you liked it so much. I'm also glad that you feel the characters are realistic. It's hard to do since we know Ash is supposed to be a redeemed soul, but the exact manner of said redemption is left up in the air. Your reviews are always a pleasure.

Pyrope:chuckles: My story is like caffeine? I never would have thought it could happen, but you won't get any complaints from me! Hopefully this chapter will feed your addiction and provide some insights into your questions!

Chrios: Oh, we've got _plenty_ of conflict coming up. Most of it funny, but much will be on an emotional level as well. And sneaky is one of my fortes ;)

Lunatic: We have much plot shiftage ahead of us. You guys don't have a _clue_ what I've got planned for you :evil laugh: I think you'll like it, though – it's _totally_ out of left field. And I'm really happy you liked Ash's sisters – I have such an appreciation for Jade now. Enjoy this next chapter!

sweettooth/Shattered Immortality: I _thought_ the writing styles of these two names were the same – I'm glad that you resolved the confusion so I don't feel like I'm being over-analytical. Your comments are always so thoughtful and supportive – I look forward to getting them. :chuckles: I can't promise a series for each book, but I'm going to do my best to get through as many of the couples as I can. And I certainly don't mind the gushing or the compliments – it puts me in my happy place!

fate22:chuckle: It's always lovely to hear that people can actually understand why I write the characters the way I do – your reviews are always a wonderful voice of validation. You're also crazy perceptive about why I chose Poppy and James in particular – so I think you'll be pleased with this chapter.

Arya84: I shall do my best to fulfill your wishes :grins: Some of them you'll get now ... and some will be within the next few chapters. Daybreaker interaction is high on our list, I promise.

laura: You're reading my story while on holiday? _Excellent_. Don't worry about the story ending ... we have a really long way to go, and my style is of the meandering sort. You will have a lot to read for quite some time!

filanvampire: Marlow is a character in Joseph Conrad's _Heart of Darkness_. I tried to make the reference as accessible as possible, but I knew I was going out on a limb by tossing in some heavy literary analysis. I think Mary-Lynnette and Ash would have a lot of really dense discussions about books, so I was trying to show their intellectual side. I'm sorry if it was a little over the top O.o Hopefully, you were able to appreciate the banter and random cuteness that surrounded it, and I promise, we're going to leave the academic analysis behind (for at least awhile) in favor of some actual activity.

amber-rules:chuckles: The 'special parts' line was really one of the best things I've ever written. Sorry it disturbed your mum, though .

Aglaia di Willow: I've been ghosting for probably around five or six years now. My NW name is Creide DiWillow, but I haven't logged into the site in so long that I'm off the Clan page. I just went and updated, though, so hopefully Cassie will put me back on. So, it seems we _are_ kin :grins: And, this chapter will definitely give you Daybreaker goodness.

Ria: LoL! Your review owns – it's so blunt, and the no-nonsense demand made me get my act in gear to finish editing this chapter for tonight's release. I'm flattered to inspire such intensity. ) Enjoy!

Okay, and now on to our saga.

* * *

_**For a Knight's Lady**_

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating:PG-13

* * *

"He ... changed you?" Mary-Lynnette asked, Poppy's small, bouncy form doing a horrible job of meshing with Mary-Lynnette's preconceived notions about vampires. She didn't look _anything_ like Ash's sisters: not graceful, not elegant, and not vaguely dangerous. Instead, Poppy looked like a pixie. A wild, _exotic_ pixie, but a pixie nonetheless. 

"I was dying of cancer," Poppy explained, giving James's arm a squeeze. "But lucky for me, he turned out to be a full-fledged vampire and saved me. It only happened about a year ago, so I'm pretty new at this." Giving Mary-Lynnette a cheerful wink, she suggested: "Think of me as a bloodsucker-in-training – I still have a lot to learn."

"She's being modest," James commented. "She has a better grasp of her powers than most full-grown lamia."

_No kidding_, Ash thought, his temples momentarily contracting with the memory of his own encounter with Poppy's powers.

Poppy tossed her head back, making a small "hmmph" sound. "You're just showing off in front of Ash. Be nice to him – he looks mad."

Mary-Lynnette glanced over at her soulmate and was forced to admit that he didn't look exactly _pleased_ to see the other couple. He was still leaning against the car with his arms crossed, and his eyes were a solid brown. "'He'," Ash informed them, "is generally discontent, yes."

James shrugged. "The West-Coast Cavern is available for all of the Redfern family to use. You're lucky that it's just Poppy and me right now – a lot of the family is trying to get time here before the war cuts people off from the estates."

"_Nobody_ was supposed to be here this week," Ash pointed out, his eyes changing from brown to a multi-hued state.

"Things were slow in Vegas. We wanted to get away for a couple of days," James defended, his posture becoming slightly more agitated. "I have just as much a right to use the house as you do."

"I'm sorry to hear life in Thierry's luxurious Las Vegas mansion became too difficult for you," Ash retorted. "And I really appreciate you showing up to crash my vacation."

"How were _we_ to know when you'd be getting back? It could've been weeks."

"_Could_ have, yes," Ash admitted. "But point is: _wasn't. _And I repeat: _nobody_ was supposed to be here this week. Even you guys – you _never_ use this place."

"Neither do yo —"

Not interested in the current male-to-male pissing contest, Mary-Lynnette interrupted the bickering with a concern of her own: "What _war?_" she demanded, shooting Ash a look of shock. "You said your family was having a '_little disagreement_.'"

Poppy started to cough and James sighed, rolling his eyes. "Don't tell me she doesn't know about the breakup of the Nightworld."

Backed into a corner, Ash was extremely annoyed. "Of course she knows," he snapped. "I'm not about to bring my soulmate around Circle Daybreak without her knowing the situation. I just didn't tell her about the _family _side of it. Yet."

"And why _not?_" Mary-Lynnette demanded, not enjoying the prospect of looking ignorant in front of Poppy and James.

"You had a lot to deal with. I was trying to _ease_ you into the politics."

"But," she began, but then stopped and took a deep breath. _He wouldn't keep something from me unless he really thought it was necessary_, she reminded herself. _And I shouldn't make **him** look bad in front of these two, either. _

"Okay," she finally said. "You can bring me up to date later on – I think I can handle it." Reaching out for his hand, she pulled his arm loose from the defensive posture and then tugged a little more to bring him next to her. "Come on," she said. "Let's get our stuff out of the car and just relax." She looked at James and Poppy, "Unless," she ventured, "You two wanted the whole house for yourselves?"

James snorted and Poppy couldn't quite hold back a giggle. "As _if_," she grinned, gesturing at the house and doing a little twirl. "This place is _huge_. We could have another five people stay here and not even realize it."

"Not to mention," James drawled as Ash opened the trunk, "I don't think we'd have much luck getting you to leave." Mary-Lynnette gave him a quizzical look, not exactly sure what his meaning was. Elaborating, James said, "Ash doesn't like to share. I don't think he'd even _consider_ forfeiting his stay here."

"No, he would not," the blonde vampire declared, tossing his duffle bag beside Mary-Lynnette's suitcase and slamming the trunk shut. When James moved to help with the bags, Ash shooed him away, taking all of the luggage himself.

"Hands off," he huffed, marching towards the house. "If I'm taking Mary-Lynnette on a trip, _I'll_ carry her stuff."

* * *

Following Ash into the mansion, Mary-Lynnette did her best to school her features, not wanting to appear overly awed by the unfamiliar luxury. As they passed through the front hallway and made their way up the stairs, she only had enough time to glimpse an enormous family room filled to the brim with delicate, Hispanic-looking furniture. The stairs were also soft on the eyes, being made out of the same pristine, white marble that covered the floor of the rather impressive foyer. It was all she could do to maintain her dignity.

Poppy, however, had no such qualms.

"Isn't this place _amazing!_" she gushed, hopping up the stairs. "It has _six_ bedrooms and _eleven_ bathrooms. Eleven!" she exclaimed, leaping up to the landing. "My old house didn't even have eleven _rooms_, much less more than two that you could actually _bathe_ in." Grabbing James as he came up the stairs, she pulled the young man's arms around her small torso and declared, "It isn't as nice as Thierry's mansion, but _still._"

"Um ... how many rooms does this house have in all?" Mary-Lynnette asked, readjusting her backpack as she continued to follow Ash down the hallway. As they passed various expensive-looking paintings, she made an extra effort to keep her distance for fear of accidentally bumping up against one of them.

"Um, eleven bathrooms, six bedrooms, and ... maybe, fourteen 'other' rooms? So, I guess around ... thirty-one?"

_Thirty-one! _"Um, 'other' rooms?"

"Other. You know," Poppy urged, "Like, a media room, bar room, breakfast room, dining room, cabana room –"

"_Cabana_ room?"

"It's an outside room by the pool," Ash explained, stopping in front of one of the several doors Mary-Lynnette had noticed. "It has a lot of swimming stuff for people that forget to bring their own."

Poppy seemed to buzz with even more energy. "Exactly! It's a _great _room to have. And what's even better is that the pool's ready to use and it's _perfect _swimming weather! We could even go out tonight!"

"Poppy," James warned. "They just got here. Give them some time." He tossed her an intense look, and Mary-Lynnette figured that he was giving his request some telepathic emphasis.

Grumbling slightly, Poppy tucked some of her windblown, coppery curls behind her ears. She then turned to Mary-Lynnette with a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that. You guys'll definitely want to settle in."

"Which rooms are yours?" Mary-Lynnette asked, glancing up and down the carpet covered marble hallway for any open doors.

Poppy grinned at her, an impish light in her eyes. "Jamie and I share a room," she replied. "Since we got here first, we took the master bedroom. That means you're free to choose from the other five."

"Sure, kick the _full-blooded _Redfernout of the master bedroom," Ash grumbled.

"Well, if he'd shown up _first_, then the Redfern _playboy _could've had it," James argued back. "But we're not moving, so you're left with _just_ **five** others to choose from. You poor thing."

"Is this about me getting the North Wing room in the Vegas mansion with all the sky-lights? You know you never had a chance at it."

"You _always_ bring that up. I've told you before ..."

Mary-Lynnette's focus was far from the conversation as she realized her miscalculated assumption ... and some of its consequences.

Was she supposed to _share_ a room with Ash? Feeling more than a little flustered that she hadn't considered the sleeping arrangements beforehand, she gave him a desperate look that was intense enough to distract him from his argument.

_On one hand, we're soulmates_, she thought. _It seems silly to stay in separate rooms. On the other hand, however, it's only been a few days since he came back._

Thankfully, Ash noticed the panic in her eyes and knew enough not to push her. Turning abruptly to ignore James, he informed her, "This is your room." Motioning to the door that they had stopped in front of, he continued, "Mine is next to yours. There's a connecting door between them in case you need anything."

Breathing a sigh of relief, she nodded to him. "That sounds fine."

"We'll let you guys get settled," James offered. "Come downstairs when you're ready and we can figure out what Mary-Lynnette wants to order for dinner." With that, he turned and tugged Poppy down the hallway.

Mary-Lynnette turned to Ash. "Order?" she asked.

Ash nodded as he opened the door to his room. "Unless you've developed a taste for various kinds of animal blood or wine, which is all that we have here as it _is_ a vampire household, you'll probably want to get something from the city."

Feeling somewhat nauseous, she assured him, "Ordering in sounds fine."

* * *

A few hours later found Mary-Lynnette stretched out on one of the overstuffed couches in what Ash had identified as the family room. After having spent some time examining the Jacuzzi tub in her own private bath, the numerous pieces of well made, comfortable furniture (like the canopy bed in her room), and the full-fledged entertainment system that spread throughout the entire house, she decided that if push came to shove, she _supposed_ she could acclimate herself to the Redfern Fortune. 

Only if push came to shove, though.

After finishing the Chinese food she'd ordered, Mary-Lynnette sat back on the couch to enjoy a few minutes alone. Ash, Poppy, and James had left her to her dinner while they went for their own meals, all three declaring that the ostrich blood in the refrigerator was positively revolting.

"I _refuse_ to drink the blood of a bird that's taller than _I_ am," Ash had grumbled before taking off into the evening air. They had only been gone about an hour, and Mary-Lynnette knew from her time with Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade that it could take up to two hours to feed if the hunting was slow.

Because of her past experiences, she was surprised when she heard the front door open and slam shut only about an hour after the trio had left. Not feeling the tingles of her connection with Ash, she stood to see who it was. Rounding a corner, she nearly crashed into Poppy, who, fresh from feeding, was even _more_ charged with energy than when Mary-Lynnette had first met her, if that was possible.

Startled, the human girl stumbled back, grabbing on to a coffee table to keep her balance. In the process, however, a very expensive-looking vase was disturbed from the surface, which, after a few seconds of unsteady wobbling, began a heart-wrenching descent toward the marble floor.

"Oh, no! Oh, no! _Bad vase!_" Poppy cried, making a seemingly impossible dive over Mary-Lynnette to catch the delicate urn. In a scene that either female had only seen in slapstick comedy routines, the vampire's leap created a domino effect, pushing Mary-Lynnette back _into_ the wall only a few feet from what appeared to be an original Picasso painting. Feeling her heart take yet _another_ plunge into her stomach, the painting swayed back and forth before becoming unbalanced and beginning to slide off the wall. A quick glance revealed Poppy curled up in a fetal position around the vase and unavailable to save the second work of art.

Although she only had nanoseconds to act, Mary-Lynnette would later recall thinking something along the lines of, _I hope my human reflexes are good enough for this_. Throwing herself along the wall, she managed to catch the painting with a minimal amount of scrapping or bumping. For a few seconds she couldn't move, her body trying desperately to attain equilibrium after the rushes of adrenaline and relief.

Hearing a sound from her right, she turned and saw Poppy sitting up in Indian-style position with the vase in front of her. She had her face in her hands, and Mary-Lynnette was terrified that the young woman was crying.

"Um, Poppy?" she tested, not sure whether or not she should interfere. Poppy looked up, and Mary-Lynnette could see the tears in her eyes – but not from crying.

"I've dealt with everything from psychotic witches to rabid-werewolves, and I don't think I've _ever _been so scared!" she giggled, jumping to her feet before reverently placing the vase back on the table.

Taking a look around the room, Mary-Lynnette could see how very possible it would be to start a chain reaction of motion that would easily destroy more than half of the family room. She gave Poppy a smile, feeling more at ease with her. "You're right," Mary-Lynnette agreed, slowly standing up to set the picture to rights. "I'm not sure what I would've done if I'd had to tell Ash that I'd killed his house."

Poppy, still in the throes of the giggles, nodded. "He would've been _furious_!" As soon as she'd said it, however, she paused slightly to give Mary-Lynnette a scrutinizing look. After a few seconds she amended, "Well, actually, I don't know if he'd be mad at you. I'm not sure he _could_ be mad at you."

Sitting down on a chair, Mary-Lynnette smiled wryly, "Oh, he can all right. And he has been – several times."

Poppy flopped on to the couch and waved her hand dismissively. "I don't believe it," she declared. "With the way that he talks about you, and the way he _looks_ at you, I know that he's _crazy_ about you."

Not sure why she felt the need to open up to Poppy, Mary-Lynnette let herself admit, "Oh, I know he cares about me. I'm just not sure that it means I get a whole lot of special treatment. He _is_ Ash, after all."

Poppy blinked at her. "Well, he _is_ Ash, yes. But what do you mean by that?"

Mary-Lynnette shrugged. "I know he had ... girlfriends," she delicately described, "before me. So I'm sure he has a set routine for the position by now. On the other hand, he's the first guy I've really been with, or dated, or anything. It's sort of uneven," she explained.

"You're joking, right?" Poppy asked, leaning forward. "As somebody who was on the receiving end of his 'routine,' at one point, I can tell you for a _fact_ that he's _completely_ different with you."

Mary-Lynnette wasn't sure what to ask about first – the idea of Ash behaving differently around her, or the idea of him trying out his routine on this emerald-eyed beauty with ridiculous psychic powers. Eventually, curiosity won out and she hesitantly asked, "Um, he tried his routine with you?"

Snorting, Poppy rolled on to her stomach. "Sort of," she answered. Seeing that Mary-Lynnette was going to need a lot more than that, she explained, "Right after James changed me, like, the _morning_ after he got me out of my coffin –"

_Got her out of her **coffin**? What the heck did he DO to her? _"Coffin?"

Backtracking, the female vampire realized, "Oh, right, you wouldn't know about that. Well, see, when humans change into vampires, their body does this thing where it shuts down for a little while, sort of like death. In my case, since I was supposed to die _anyway _–"

"You had to go through a burial," Mary-Lynnette finished, unable to hide a shiver at the thought.

Poppy nodded, "Yeah, it was really hard on my family. Especially my twin brother, Phil. He knew the truth about what James and I were doing, and helped Jamie out when he came to get me. Actually," she said, looking thoughtful. "It was while I was asleep that I first saw Ash. He came to me in a psychic dream."

Mary-Lynnette coughed. "Excuse me?"

"Well," Poppy elaborated, "It wasn't as though he was trying to come to me – I think I was more predicting the future than anything. Point is, when he showed up the day after James had rescued me from my coffin, I was already pretty weak and unsure of myself." Here she gave Mary-Lynnette a conspiratorial wink. "He _is_ awfully handsome, you know."

Mary-Lynnette couldn't hide the blush. "I know. And I know that _he_ knows it, too."

Poppy groaned, "And if he knows that _you_ know ..."

Mary-Lynnette concluded, "Yeah, things get complicated." Shaking her head, she inquired, "Is that what happened to you?"

Poppy wrinkled her nose. "No way. James and I have been together for years – he was my best friend way before he was my active soulmate. It's just forbidden in the Nightworld, that's all."

"What is?"

"For Night People to fall in love with humans. James broke a lot of laws to keep me alive. The thing is, I didn't know all about that when he did it, and Ash, uh ..."

"Knew that you didn't know."

"Right," Poppy replied. "Because of that, it was pretty easy to get me to go with him. We ended up going to Vegas, and after some awkward sightseeing, he took me to a Nightworld party. James showed up after that and got me."

"Wait," Mary-Lynnette said. "I don't understand – _why_ did you go with him?"

Poppy had the grace to look a little sheepish. "Well, he told me that if I stayed with James, then I would be a threat to him. I couldn't stand the thought of my existence hurting him, and Ash seemed very sure of himself."

_Don't I know **that**, _Mary-Lynnette thought. "Why did he take you to the party?"

Poppy shrugged. "Oh, I'm sure he had his reasons. James thought he wanted to turn me over to the Elders so that they'd kill me for being an illegal made vampire – Ash told me at one point that that's what he planned to do."

Mary-Lynnette blanched. _Well,_ she mused to herself, y_ou **were** waiting for direct contact with one of Ash's former prey, and it seems you've found it._ Taking a deep breath, she simply asked, "Can you tell me more about it?"

Tucking a pillow under her chin and kicking off her shoes, Poppy thought for a second before answering her. Eventually, she offered, "When I was traveling with Ash, he tried really hard to make some kind of connection with me. It was pretty obvious, though, that he was doing it more because I was a semi-helpless female than because he actually had any kind of feelings for me."

_This is not what I want to hear_.

"But," Poppy said, her change in tone resurrecting hope for Mary-Lynnette.

"But what?"

"But," Poppy continued, "I'm not sure that he would've really done it. Oh," she grumbled, "don't get me wrong, he was the most _irritating, frustrating, impossible_ person I'd ever met. Still, I don't really think he wanted to hurt me. I think he wanted to play with me. It was all a game to him."

_A game._ _That must've been what his whole life was like before me,_ Mary-Lynnette supposed. Tentatively, she asked, "Do you still hold it against him? That he manipulated you that way?"

Poppy shook her head, "No, not now, but I was pretty uncomfortable with him for awhile. Before he met you, he really hated humans, and he was crazy into this weird 'everybody takes care of himself or herself' philosophy. The only reason I got away from him at the party was because I'm a strong telepath."

_Did she use a Jedi mind trick?_ "Did you just convince him to let you go?"

Ducking her head, Poppy gave Mary-Lynnette a mischievous look. "Nothing so subtle, I'm afraid. I ended up using my thoughts like a weapon and he had to let me go. Before I could do anything else, James and Phil came."

Processing this information, Mary-Lynnette probed, "So, you said you used to be uncomfortable around him. What changed?"

Poppy grinned. "He did. A lot. After James and I left my hometown, we had some problems settling down – we're a hybrid couple and that's still a sensitive issue. One day, Ash called and told us about Circle Daybreak." She spread her hands out in front of her, looking at her palms. "So, he really helped us out when we needed it. After that, and after seeing how ... _honest_ he'd become, we sort of made our peace."

"This was all after he met me?"

Poppy chuckled. "Of course. He's been completely different for the last year or so – calmer, somehow. He's also nicer, and not nearly as confusing as he used to be. He and Jamie still fight a lot, but I think it may be more out of habit. And that," she added, giving Mary-Lynnette a direct look, "is why you shouldn't think for a second that he treats you the way he treated his previous ... interests. You're a whole different story."

Hearing a door open and the sound of two sets of feet walk inside of the house, Mary-Lynnette wasn't too surprised when she felt the chord's _tug_. Accompanied with the footsteps, however, was the tail end of some sort of argument. Looking wryly at Poppy, she observed, "I think that 'habit' just walked through the door."

Sitting up, Poppy grumbled, "They're at it again. I swear, one of these days I'm going to telepathically _bind_ them to each other so they'll have to get along just to _survive_."

Looking at the small woman in awe, Mary-Lynnette couldn't keep herself from asking, "Telepaths can actually _do_ that?"

Giving Mary-Lynnette a wry grin, the coppery-haired vampire replied, "I don't know for sure, but sometimes those two push me so much that I'm _really_ tempted to try."

Before Mary-Lynnette could reply, Ash and James came in through the doorway, both looking refreshed from their meals. Mary-Lynnette was momentarily distracted from the argument by the moonlight-esque glow shining out of Ash's silver eyes.

"Like I've told you before," James snapped, walking over to Poppy and sitting down next to her, "The problems we had in Albuquerque last month were _not_ my fault."

Ash was so involved with his argument that he didn't even notice as his natural path took him in front of Mary-Lynnette, where he sat down in front of her on the floor. "Of course they weren't," he soothed, stretching his long legs out in front of him. "Because you have _no_ history whatso_ever_ of ignoring protocol as soon as you think Poppy's in danger."

His green eyes hard, James's voice was dangerously quiet, "Careful, Ash. That's not the best of subjects for us."

Ash shrugged, his eyes warming to amber. "Say what you like, I'm just trying to point out that if you'd actually kept _watching_ the entrances to the club, then I wouldn't have had to get ... creative."

"Taking an entire club hostage because you claimed to have a biological weapon from the Harman witches was _not_ creative," James grit out. "It was _stupid_."

"It was creative," Ash maintained. "Not _only_ was it creative, but it _worked_. While you were out jumping roof tops because your soulmate wasn't within a fifty-foot radius of you, _I_ managed to get the lost witch out of the club and into the limo."

_Lost witch?_ Mary-Lynnette mouthed to Poppy.

_Witches that don't know they're witches_, Poppy said, her voice projecting clearly inside of Mary-Lynnette's mind. _Humans call them psychics – I was actually one of them before the change. That's one of the reasons I'm such a strong telepath._

"Also," Ash added, reaching down to absently play with the hem of Mary-Lynnette's jeans, "I seem to remember that Poppy wasn't _in_ any danger. She can take care of herself."

Seeing a chance to diffuse the situation, Poppy jumped into the bickering. "But," she reminded Ash, "I _really_ appreciated James's help, and you should remember that we were able to take a couple of Nightworld lackeys with us after the mission. They gave us a lot of information."

Biological weapons? Lackeys? Missions? Prisoners? This is all out of some weird spy movie, Mary-Lynnette thought.

Ash held up his hands in defense. "Don't look at me, he's the one that started to yell at me for being irresponsible and not calling ahead before we got here." He muttered under his breath, "Of course, it makes so much sense to let a supposedly empty house know you're coming to visit."

Poppy shot James an amused look. "Jamie, you're just as bad as he is."

Acutely aware of Ash's agitation, Mary-Lynnette also wanted to do something to calm her soulmate, but _without _getting in the middle of the fight. After a moment's hesitation, she reached down and began to comb her fingers through his hair, straightening out the windblown tresses. Much to her surprise, the physical contact had the desired effect, and instead of feeling the usual sparks and electricity, she felt a cool sense of calm between the two of them.

Ash jumped slightly, finally becoming conscious of where he was sitting. He turned his head to look up at Mary-Lynnette, who let her hands slide down to rest on his shoulders. She could read a trace of sheepishness in his eyes – now green – as he became aware of how close to her he was, and how naturally his hands had been wandering up and down her calves.

_I'm surprised she actually let me get away with it,_ he mused, sitting up a little straighter so he wasn't leaning on her quite so much.

"Um ... so, how was the Chinese food?" Ash asked, glancing at the half-empty cartons.

Mary-Lynnette smiled at him, relieved that the disagreement seemed to have been left behind. "It was good," she said. "I wasn't that hungry, so there's some left over."

"Are you two going on to Vegas tomorrow?" Poppy asked, having taken the opportunity during the brief lull in conversation to rest her head on James's lap. The dark-haired vampire was still glowering at Ash, although he seemed more passive than he had been.

"Yeah," Ash answered, turning around once again to face the other couple. He was surprised, but extremely pleased, when Mary-Lynnette didn't remove her hands from his shoulders but rather began to gently rub his neck. As she worked out some of the tighter muscles, he noticed that, somehow, the emotions she was projecting at him through the chord made him feel at peace. In fact, he couldn't remember what he and James had been arguing about in the first place. "This was just a place to stop and spend the night. I want to get us back to Circle Daybreak as quickly as possible."

Although he didn't explicitly say it, Mary-Lynnette caught the tail end of his worry – by being away from the protective fortress of Thierry's mansion, the human-vampire soulmate couple remained in a constant state of danger. Although she trusted that Ash could, and would, fight dirty to protect her, she would just as soon rather he not have to do any fighting in the first place.

"Well," Poppy said brightly, jumping to her feet. "Since James and I are going to stay here for another couple of days, we just have this one night to hang out here." Turning to Mary-Lynnette, she held out her hand. "How about it? In the mood to beat these guys at a game of pool?"

Mary-Lynnette couldn't help but grin up at Poppy, adding, "Sure. We'll even be nice and let them go _first._"

* * *

Since the trip from Beverly Hills to Las Vegas would only take Mary-Lynnette and Ash around four hours, the couple opted to sleep in the next morning and planned on leaving sometime in the early afternoon. Considering that they'd all gone to bed rather late, it was a welcome relief to Mary-Lynnette when she had the luxury of rolling out of bed around eleven. 

After taking some time to eat and get ready, the pair managed to start the trip shortly before one. Although she knew that her skills were solid enough to get them through some fairly heavy traffic, Mary-Lynnette was more than willing to yield to Ash's experience when it came to driving on I-15. As such, it was from the passenger's seat that she waved to Poppy and James, promising to meet up with them again in a few days.

The drive itself was somewhat quieter than the one the day before. Almost thirty continuous hours in each other's company had brought Mary-Lynnette and Ash to the point where neither felt a pressing need to talk _all_ of the time. Therefore, Mary-Lynnette spent her time reading a book of Isaac Asimov short stories, occasionally tossing a comment in Ash's direction; for Ash's part, most of his attention was fixated on the road and surrounding environment. Mary-Lynnette noticed that the closer they got to the once-Nightworld dominated city, the more cautious he appeared to be. At one point, she reached over to cover his hand with her own, using her newfound Soulmate Chord Trick to try to soothe his nerves.

"Thanks," he'd said, his eyes turning a soft green as he smiled at her.

They entered Vegas by way of Tropicana Avenue, and Ash deftly maneuvered the car along the road until they came to The Strip. "It'll be slow going," he warned Mary-Lynnette, watching her eyes as they took in the cacophony of lights and buildings. "But, it's a good way to get across town to Thierry's – lots of stuff to see."

From the beginning, Mary-Lynnette felt extremely uncomfortable in the city. Although she readily admitted that the wide street was dazzling and exciting, even in the late afternoon light, she felt a general ... unwholesomeness about the place that made her desperately want to take a bath.

"It's so weird," she commented, watching out of the window as they passed the Luxor. "Deserts usually make you think of Arabian tents, cool oases, and quiet nights under star-filled skies. This is anything _but_ that."

Ash nodded, concentrating on flowing with traffic as best he could, given the congestion. "Yeah," he agreed. "In some ways, having this huge development here doesn't make any sense at all. I think you'll like the area better once we go camping, although, if it's a party you're looking for, this is _the_ place to find one."

Not wanting to appear ungrateful for the chance to see Vegas, Mary-Lynnette quickly added, "Don't think I'm not impressed, though." Taking another look and trying not to wince at the gaudy signs that they passed, most of them advertising entertainment of a risqué sort, she said, "It's just ... different for me."

"That's what this trip's about, right? Seeing different things?"

Mary-Lynnette grinned at him. "Right."

Their sojourn down The Strip took another ten minutes or so, and by the time they turned off of it, Mary-Lynnette was positive that she didn't like the vibes of Vegas at all. Aside from the ever-present gambling-alcohol-narcotics triad that she saw everywhere, she had the strangest feeling of an underlying darkness.

"I'm not any kind of psychic," she told Ash as they picked up speed, leaving the more crowded streets behind, "But something is _definitely_ rotten in the state of Nevada."

Glancing at her, he gave an approving nod. "That's true," he said. "Maybe it's because you feel it through me or something, but there's an unsettled aura about this place. I think it's because of all the problems the Nightworld is having."

"Do you think the humans in Vegas will ever notice?"

Ash shook his head. "Nah. They're too caught up in the lights and entertainment to notice the metaphysical side to this place."

Mary-Lynnette blinked. "So ... Vegas _isn't_ just a tourist trap by human standards."

"Not exactly. It's been controlled by the Nightworld since the early 1970's. It's good for drawing in money, and uh ..."

"Food."

"Yeah. Exactly." After a few beats of silence, he added, "Somebody once told me she thought it was like a Venus' flytrap."

Mary-Lynnette arched her eyebrow. "Who was that?"

Ash smiled. "You'll meet her soon – we're here."

Turning to look out her window, Mary-Lynnette was surprised that they were far enough from the crowded city so that there was enough space for a long palm-tree-lined drive. Once they rounded a corner and the house came into view, she got her first good look at the heart of Circle Daybreak.

Ash's house had inspired reverence. Thierry's _palace_ inspired shock. She had never realized that there were domestic buildings in the United States that _could_ be such a size.

Trying to get her voice box to work again as Ash parked in a gated lot, she eventually managed, "How many rooms?"

Ash snorted, turning off the car before glancing up at the house. "Oh, I don't now. More than fifty, at least. We have a lot of special areas and wings for different parts of the organization. It's not just a house," he reminded her. "It's a training facility and fortress."

Stepping out of the car and resting her sunglasses on top of her head, Mary-Lynnette tried her best to deal with the new environment. Although she'd adjusted to the Beverly Hills house, it was still something that had been closer to what she was used to than the pink stucco wonder before her. Sprawling over the ground like a natural land formation, it had walls, columns, and archways that stood almost arrogantly in the hot, June sun. There were gardens and fountains surrounding the building, and as they walked up to the entryway, she had an eerie sense of recognition when she caught sight of the stained-glass window above the double doors.

It had a black rose on it. In fact, glancing around to the other windows in her vicinity, Mary-Lynnette was sure that they _all_ had black roses worked into them in some way, shape, or form.

_Mary-Lynnette, you're not in Oregon anymore._

Glancing back at the car, she asked Ash, "What about our luggage?"

He shook his head at her as he went examined his keys. "We'll leave them. Thierry has such a crazy-loyal staff that they'd be really offended if we took it ourselves. It's just a good idea to let them ... serve."

Finding the correct key, Ash was about to place it in the lock when one of the doors flew open, revealing an older teenager in a suit with tied-back brown hair and sunglasses. Well, Mary-Lynnette _thought_ it was a teenager, anyway, except for his matter-of-fact manner and his resemblance to a CIA agent.

"Mr. Ash," the man said, his voice sounding relieved. "You're back."

Ash gestured for Mary-Lynnette to go through the door, and he followed her, taking off his sunglasses once they entered the cool interior of the house. "Of course I'm back, Nilsson," he dryly answered. "This is my sanctuary, my home, my –"

"No, sir," Nilsson answered, gesturing up a set of stairs that Mary-Lynnette had noticed. "You don't understand – your cell phone was off. We haven't been able to get in touch with you. _He_ wants to see you."

Ash blinked a couple of times before rubbing his temples. "You've got to be kidding me. I'm on vacation."

"Something came up, sir. It's very important that you talk to him right away."

Before Ash could respond, a very pretty girl with dark blonde hair and brown eyes walked in from one of the hallways. Doing a double take when she saw Ash, she rolled her eyes. "Well it's about time. Do you know how long we've been trying to get a hold of you?"

"No, I _don't_ know, Thea, my cell's been off. Know why? Because I was on _vacation_." Looking more and more annoyed, he continued, "Why didn't any of you try James and Poppy? _They_ certainly knew where we were."

"We've been trying since just this morning. They said you were on your way."

Giving her an impatient glance, Ash demanded, "So _why_ am I being yelled at for not getting a message to come back ... when I was on my way back _anyway_?"

"Because _he_ wanted to see you earlier."

Despite not being formally introduced to the conversation, Mary-Lynnette had a pretty good idea who "_he_" was – and _he_ was standing in the opposite doorway.

"Ash."

Ash dropped his head. "Again, you've got to be kidding me." He turned around and leaned on the wall beside Mary-Lynnette, crossing his arms in front of him. "Thierry," he said, his voice oozing in an obvious attempt to be patient, "This is my vacation." He pointed to Mary-Lynnette. "That is my soulmate – I haven't seen her in a year. I would like to spend some time with her."

Mary-Lynnette watched Thierry in fascination, amazed that somebody who looked so _young_ could have such a commanding presence. He mimicked Ash's stance, leaning on the opposite wall, before replying, "I know all about waiting, Ash."

Sighing so forcefully that it came out more like a hiss, Ash complained, "Oh no, not that again. Hannah's been back for over a month."

"And _I_ haven't had a lot of 'time' with her. We have responsibilities, Ash. I need to speak with you." Turning his head away from her soulmate, Mary-Lynnette was surprised when Thierry looked at her, his dark eyes flashing. "Mary-Lynnette," he acknowledged. "I'm glad to finally meet you. I'm sorry to be taking him away so soon, but I felt you would understand."

Feeling that most of her awe had been used up in the past twenty-four hours or so, she managed to reply, "I'm glad to meet you, too. No, I don't mind ... I know that what you're doing is important." She reached for Ash's hand and squeezed it gently, giving him an intent look.

_Go on,_ she thought.

For all that he couldn't hear her in his mind, Ash knew what she was thinking. Scowling slightly, he quickly kissed her before walking towards Thierry. As the two vampires left the room, Ash tossed out to Thea, "Show her around, will you? If she gets lost, I'm going to be very upset."

Giving him an encouraging smile, Thea assured him, "Don't worry, Ash. She'll be just fine until you get back." When he was gone, she turned to Mary-Lynnette and said, "Well, since the formalities got a little skewed, I'll just start with this: Welcome to Circle Daybreak."

* * *

Wow. That was absolutely insane to write. But the way I figured it, our couple was _going _to be in Las Vegas before Chapter IX if I had to start writing sub-chapters of chapters. I hope you had some fun with this, and I look forward to hearing from you! 


	9. Chapter I9

Hello again!

I hope these two chapters find everyone doing relatively well. Yes, that's right, I have two chapters for you with this update. It was another case of "I'm going to finish this story arc. I swear to God I'm going to finish this arc. Oh, no ... it's over ten thousand words." Ergo, you have two healthy sized chapters. This leads me to the format of the story – you may have noticed that we're not working with just Chapter IX, or Chapter X anymore, but rather I.9 and I.10. This was done out of a desperate attempt to unify the story when I was clearly heading for some sort of plot climax in these two chapters but still had yet to reach much of the _original_ premise of the story. As such, the entire work will have two sections – Part I where Mary-Lynnette and Ash deal with a lot of their emotions and Part II where they have the rest of their adventure. I think it'll make the transition between the two arcs a little easier to handle, and it'll give chapter II.1 a fresh feel (which is where we're heading next). If you read my author profile page, you saw that I'm going to take a short break from Mary-Lynnette and Ash so that I can update _In My Sight –_ my James/Poppy related fanfiction. Don't worry, though – we'll be back to our snarky vampire in about a week or so.

With that out of the way, I now turn to a new part of my notes, where I grovel and thank the people or websites that have given me inspiration and plot ideas. The first portion of my gratitude goes out to fate22 for her amazing awesomeness in letting me use her vampire genetics theory – to see exactly what I'm talking about, go and read her Thierry/Hannah story _Come Again?_. It's crazy-well done and very creative. The second bit of gratitude goes out to fightingartsdotcom and their section about Zanshin. Before going to that site, yeah ... I didn't have a clue. But, they have an awesome section about mind/body control and I found it extremely helpful.

And last but not least, my individual replies to my author's notes. As usual, you guys are amazing and extremely good for my ego.

fate22: What can I say? Your comments were wonderful feedback (I'm glad you liked Ash's unconscious snuggling!) and you even let me borrow a part of your own story! Don't worry about our couple getting too bogged down in Daybreak matters – they'll have their own agenda soon enough.

Hananiah: Review whenever you feel the whim. I know that there are chapters that may not tickle everybody's fancy. I love feedback, but just the knowledge that you're reading the story is good enough for me. Glad to know you liked my Poppy and James tangent :grins:

Pyrope: LoL! Please don't steal my talent – I have at least another ten chapters to write! Seriously though, that was so nice of you to say. And yes, Mary-Lynnette _is_ feeling confuzzed – and she'll keep that way until, oh, about the end of Chapter I.10. Enjoy!

Shiegra: I hope it stays interesting . I'm also really pleased that you feel it represents the characters in an accurate light – that's definitely the most difficult part of all of this.

Aglaia di Willow: And spelling isn't even my forte:hugs her spellchecker: You're clan leader? Wow ... I haven't paid attention to that stuff in so long. The last time I took my head out of the clouds with that clan was when _Starfox_ (I think that was her name) was clan leader. I feel so old!

crystleflys: chuckle: I hope you don't model your own road trip too closely on this one – we're going to have some bumps ahead of us. Woot! You enjoyed my whole "Mary-Lynnette and Ash act like normal people" angle! That was something that I was really looking forward to doing, and you'll see more of it later on.

Lunatic: You'll definitely get one of your wishes by the end of this update, and as to the other – we haven't quite had time for it yet, but my hopes are high for the next chapter. Thank-you so much for reviewing again! .

Shattered Immortality: LoL! If long is best, then you should be extremely pleased with this update. And I certainly don't _mind_ the gushing – although I have to say that your compliments go straight to my head . As to Jade, we may see her again, but probably not until the end of the story. In the meantime, I'll keep her in mind as an extra character for some of my other L.J. Smith-related fanfictions.

amber-rules:chuckle: Thierry _can_ be scary, but it's all to a greater purpose.

tanya: Hee-hee Somebody read both my stories. _In My Sight_ will be getting some much-needed attention this week, so you'll have an update of that to look forward to. I'm so glad that you're enjoying my writing – your comments were wonderful to receive.

laura: I hope your holiday went well! I'm glad I was able to give you a nice homecoming, and here are more long chapters for you to devour. :grins: I think this story will continue to surprise you, especially since we have an _enormous_ plot shift coming up.

Whew! Okay, now on to Part I, Chapters 9 and 10. As with the last time I put two chapters up at once, you can expect minimal author interference until the end.

Enjoy!

* * *

**_  
For a Knight's Lady_**

By:EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Rashel Jordan walked around the large room, her footsteps not making the slightest sound on the wooden floor. Vivid green eyes watched the students lined up in rows as she intently searched for incorrect postures or signs of energy blockage. 

"Zanshin," she reminded them, letting her voice softly sweep through the still air, "is about control. Fights are never over when your opponent is dead – they're over when you return home. And even then," she added, "it's still best to maintain awareness."

Making her way to a red-headed shapeshifter, Rashel adjusted his stance with her toe, instructing, "Japanese samurai used to say 'When the battle is over, tighten your chin strap.' Even when you are _physically still_, the danger is not always gone. Remember this when you go out on your missions."

Heading back to the front of the room, she concluded, "To practice this awareness, do not focus exclusively on your actions, but instead be receptive to all that is going on around you: the air, the earth, the sound of your opponent's heartbeat, the movement of their muscles. If you are attentive to enough detail, you will know what must be done in the next moment." Leaning against the wooden wall, she went through one last examination of her students, making mental notes about their progress and what she should cover during the next training session. After another five minutes of silence, she nodded. "Class dismissed. I expect to see you all at the meeting tomorrow evening."

After spending a few moments answering some last minute questions from the agents in training, Rashel gathered up her things and placed all of her personal equipment in a black, leather tote. Before she turned around to leave, her senses, and a faint tingling at the back of her neck, alerted her to the fact that she was not alone.

Smiling, Rashel remarked, "And where have _you_ been, John Quinn? It's nearly impossible to demonstrate iaido katas without a second teacher."

The teacher in question soundlessly walked up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist and gently nuzzling the back of her neck. "I'm sure you managed," he answered, holding her securely against him for a few moments before releasing her. "Thierry caught me while I was walking here. Ash is back in Vegas."

Arching her eyebrows in surprise, she linked her hand with his as they exited the room, heading away from the East Wing to the North Wing, where most of the agents had rooms. "Is he back here, yet?"

Quinn nodded. "He just got in – Thierry left me to go and get him."

Rashel let that process for a moment before observing, "So he's going to make him do it, then."

Quinn sighed. "I think so. We have other agents that could go and collect the information, but Ash is the best when it comes to working clubs." Almost ironically, he commented, "He's even better than me."

Squeezing his hand gently to show him that she understood, Rashel pointed out, "It's not just about ability, though. It's no coincidence that Thierry is ordering this mission while Mary-Lynnette is here." Realizing her assumption, she clarified, "Mary-Lynnette _is_ here, right?"

"Barely," he replied. "They hadn't been inside the house more than ten seconds before Thierry pulled him away. She was remarkably understanding about it all."

Rashel couldn't hide a snort. "With a soulmate like Ash, patience and understanding are vital." Nodding to the guards as they passed through a huge set of double doors that led to the domestic wing of the mansion, Rashel inquired, "What is she like?"

Quinn let go of Rashel's hand so that he could unlock the door to their room. Once inside, he admitted, "I didn't get a lot of time to observe her. As soon as Ash left with Thierry, Thea swept her away for the Grand Tour."

"Does she look like a fighter?"

Quinn sat down on the couch next to Rashel's discarded tote, taking a moment to simply relax in the living room of their suite. His enjoyment only multiplied when Rashel sat on the arm of the couch, leaning against his shoulder when he wrapped his arm around her waist. "She doesn't have training, if that's what you mean," he said. "_Could_ she fight if given the opportunity? Probably. But I don't think that's where her strengths really are."

"How do you mean?"

"She has a wisdom about her that reminds me of Hannah. She appears very intelligent."

Rashel gently rubbed her chin in thought. Eventually, she offered, "It sounds as though she's a good match for Ash. He's very unbalanced – especially while fighting. It makes him impulsive and dangerous to everybody around him."

"He has a lot to prove," Quinn reminded her.

Rashel shrugged. "I know. But still, it doesn't mean he can't find zanshin." Then she wondered aloud, "Do you think the two of them will pass Thierry's test?"

Quinn sighed. He had his own feelings about Thierry's manner of testing new Daybreaker couples. "Most likely," he answered. "At the very least, we'll see how they interact."

"You assume, of course, that she will demand to accompany him on the mission."

Chuckling, Quinn glanced up at his soulmate. "Didn't you?"

* * *

"This better be _really_ important," Ash grumbled, sitting in a chair across from Thierry. The older vampire gave him a neutral glance before pushing a folder across the desk. 

"You'll find her information in there," Thierry told him, leaning back in his chair slightly.

Giving him a wary look, Ash reached for the manila folder, opening it cautiously. "_Her_?" he echoed, pulling out a number of glossy photos. Glancing down at them, he sighed. "Come on, man ..."

"Her name is Reina Muñoz Gómez. She's part of a rather prominent Circle Midnight group in Madrid. She's also a vampire."

"A vampire witch? We're having a lot of those lately."

Thierry nodded. "Nothing so severe as last month's hybrid, though. She's dangerous," he cautioned, the warning clear in his voice, "But I don't think she's somebody you couldn't handle."

Ash let his gaze float over the pictures, noting that their spies were getting better about taking pictures with helpful details. The slim leather pants and skin-tight, black tank top showed that Reina was a hardcore party girl through and through. Her make-up was slathered on thick, doing as much to mask her delicate features as to accentuate them, and Ash knew that some research on a number of her tattoos would provide a good introduction for conversation. Before his brain could start making even more plans, though, he firmly closed the folder and put it back on the table. "I'm not doing it," he said.

Maintaining an almost annoyingly patient expression, Thierry asked, "Why?"

Ash blinked. "Because ... my soulmate's in town and I'd rather spend time with her than acting as a spy in a Vegas nightclub?"

"It'll only take one night," Thierry pointed out, leaning forward in his desk and bracing his weight on his elbows. "Probably no more than three or four hours at the most. You could have dinner with Mary-Lynnette and then go to the club; we can easily take care of her while you're gone."

"It's not _that_," Ash grumbled. "I just don't feel right doing that kind of work when she's in town. Can't you get Quinn to do it?"

"What's so different about you and Quinn? Rashel's his soulmate and she has no problem with Quinn being a club spy."

_I wouldn't bet on that_, Ash thought, recalling more than one time that he'd seen the dark-haired vampire sleeping outside of the suite he shared with Rashel.

"Besides," Thierry continued, "she isn't just an ordinary Nightworld agent. She has important information about the Nightworld Council."

Ash's ears perked up with interest and he replied, "Keep going."

Thierry reached over and grabbed a folder from the top of another stack on his desk and rifled through it briefly. "Remember the meeting we had at the end of spring? The one talking about how the Council was going to convene for a summer session?"

"I remember."

"There's been talk of some sort of prophecy," Thierry related to him, handing Ash a piece of paper from the file. "We don't know what it is exactly, or what it's about, but we think it might have something to do with the huge shifts of power that the witches have been sensing recently. I know I'll find out everything when I go to the meeting later on this summer, but I'd like to see if we can get a head start on the Nightworld. Reina is one of Hunter's top spies, and she's just returned from Europe. The word is that she may have found something."

"So you want me to go and find out what she knows," Ash concluded, his eyes briefly flickering through the paper's contents and verifying the encoded message Thierry had received. "That won't be easy – her information was for Hunter. This message says she has twenty werewolf guards with her. She probably doesn't like strangers, either."

"Which is why you're the one we need to send," Thierry said. "Quinn's reputation as a Daybreaker is getting stronger by the day, and Reina will certainly know about it. You're the only member we have that has the skills and the anonymity to do this."

Ash muttered, "You mean I'm the best at picking up girls."

"You're the best at getting information out of high profile females," Thierry corrected. "Sending you in to talk to her will get us the most information at the least cost and danger to the Circle. Also," Thierry added, "We have it on good authority she'll be at the Black Iris tonight. That's your club, Ash."

After a second of considering, Ash shook his head. "No. I won't go. Send in James – I hear he did a great job with some of those British clubs. Poppy can be backup."

Thierry sighed. "Why are you fighting me on this?"

Although first tempted to retort, Ash tried his best to ground himself and to respond like an adult. Eventually he offered, "I don't want Mary-Lynnette to have to see that side of me, yet. Or even to be in contact with it. I don't know if she's ready."

Thierry was silent for long moments before Ash looked up to see his face more somber than it had been for some time, his eyes dark with sadness. Feeling that something was on his mind, Ash waited. Eventually, Thierry spoke. "The soulmate bond is an amazing thing. It can bring together two people in an instant, breaking down all barriers and forcing them to see and to acknowledge all of the good and bad things within their partner. Sometimes," he explained, "this works out well. It's more than a little shocking at first, but some couples are able to reconcile the sparks and the connection and to move on with their lives – together and as a unit. It's more difficult for us who have dark parts of our mind where we ourselves don't wish to go."

"It's different with you, though," Ash said. "Hannah has bad memories, yeah, but you didn't actually do anything over the years that you should be ashamed of. It was all Maya."

Thierry looked surprised "Didn't I? For all that Maya turned me into a vampire, I'm the one that embraced the killer within myself – I'm the one that destroyed Hannah's village. For all that my hand wasn't the one that struck _her_ down over thousands of years, I was the one who did it first, and mine was the face that she saw in every life right before her violent death. I have been a single, powerful force of pain for her in every lifetime that she has ever lived."

Ash was too stunned to speak.

"But," Thierry concluded, relaxing slightly and leaning back in his chair, "Hannah knows all of this, and she still loves me. She knows my past and my mistakes and she doesn't turn away from me, nor does she excuse my behavior. She accepts it." Looking directly into Ash's forest-green eyes, he asked: "Can Mary-Lynnette do the same for you?"

Ash thought back to their separate beds the night before, to her declaration of love, to the slight wariness he'd seen in her eyes over the past few days. He thought back to her quick changes of conversation whenever the topic of his work had arisen. He didn't know if she _could_ accept him or not, but he did know that there were parts of him that she had yet to.

But they'd _just_ gotten to Vegas ... he'd _just_ picked her up from Oregon ... it was all happening so _quickly_.

Thierry picked up the discarded folder and held it in front of Ash. "For Mary-Lynnette to be in your life, she has to understand your role within this organization. It isn't the most glorious of jobs, but what you do is necessary. Without information from the working members of the Nightworld, Circle Daybreak is completely in the dark. From the minute she walked in the front door, she became a part of us – and all of the parts need to work together. For that to happen, there needs to be complete trust and acceptance between the members."

Ash stared at the folder, a feeling of dread overcoming him even as he knew what he would do. Closing his eyes briefly, he stood up and accepted the documents, giving Thierry a look of uncertainty. Still, beneath the turmoil in his eyes, Thierry could see the spark of life within Ash, and he knew that the young vampire would find his way.

"I'll go tell her," Ash said, turning and walking out of the office.

* * *

After a whirlwind tour of Thierry's mansion with Thea, Mary-Lynnette was feeling decidedly more informed and less overwhelmed with her situation. She had immediately taken to the blonde witch, enjoying how the young woman was down to earth for all that she had remarkable powers. It also didn't hurt that Thea had a human soulmate, and as such thought about _normal_ things – like attending the University of Florida in the fall for pre-vet courses.

Mary-Lynnette was also glad that Thea was used to introducing people to Circle Daybreak; she had given the human girl enough information so that things were put into perspective without being overbearing. As far as Mary-Lynnette could tell, if she understood the following, then she would be relatively in the loop: the Circle was relatively new, focused on improving relations between humans and Nightworld members, still functioning mainly from the shadows, currently run by Thierry Descouedres (who worked as a double agent and member of the Nightworld Council), and Very Much Interested in the current rising numbers of political, economical, sociological, and environmental disturbances (as well as the recent resurgence of the soulmate principle).

Still, it was quite a bit to take in – especially when she'd seen the increasing numbers of extremely good-looking young people wandering around the house.

_"__Is everybody in the Circle this attractive?" she asked, feeling slightly dazed._

_Thea shrugged. "Most of what you're seeing right now are vampires – both made and lamia. They are, more often than not, extremely handsome. It's sort of one of their genetic advantages – helps to lure in prey."_

_Mary-Lynnette could certainly see nature's logic in **that.** _

"_What about their ages? Nobody here looks over twenty."_

"_Vampires again," Thea answered. "Lamia can stop aging whenever they want to, and made vampires stop when they're changed. A lot of the people you're seeing have been around for at least forty years or so. As to the rest," she shrugged. "With the soulmate principle in effect, we get a lot of teenage humans wandering around."_

After being shown the vast numbers of rooms and comforts that Thierry's house had to offer, including its own movie theater and ballroom, Thea took Mary-Lynnette to Ash's suite in the Northern wing of the house. She instructed the human girl to ask anybody for help if she needed it, and informed her that Ash would probably return from his meeting soon.

Left alone, Mary-Lynnette indulged herself and collapsed into the nearest chair, shutting her eyes for a moment before looking around with avid curiosity. Unlike the Beverly Hills house, this suite was a place where Ash lived and worked, and she could sense him all around her. She noticed right off that the living space had two areas to it – a living room that was decorated with two comfortable-looking navy blue chairs and a matching couch, and a bedroom that she could just see through a doorway. Ignoring the large television placed against the wall and the video games scattered along the floor, she stood and went to examine the stereo and was pleased to see that the CDs scattered around it were many of the same ones that she owned.

Looking around again, she saw a closet set against a far wall, and a peek revealed that it was full of well-used martial arts training equipment. She eyed a sharp katana with trepidation and opted to close the door and do some exploring elsewhere. Pausing slightly before entering the bedroom, she assured herself that Ash wouldn't see her investigations as an invasion of his privacy, especially since she had no intention of actually going through anything personal.

From the first step into his room, Mary-Lynnette felt as though she'd come home. It was hard to explain, as she'd never been to Las Vegas before, much less this particular bedroom _in_ Vegas, but the atmosphere and furnishings were instantly comfortable for her.

_It must be because Ash lives here_, she realized, his scent and energy so thick around her that it was almost as if he were there with her. She shifted her gaze from left to right, and a chestnut bookshelf immediately drew her attention. Wandering over, she perused the books, smiling to herself as she read at least four titles by Jane Austin, as well as a couple from the Bronte sisters. Further scrutiny revealed his collection to be impressive and that it included classical works by Plato and Aristotle as well as later novels by Tolstoy and García-Márquez. Tucked at either end of the shelves were more recent paperbacks, and Mary-Lynnette was amused to see that for all his bravado, Ash was fanatical about J.R.R. Tolkien, so much so that he even had Tolkien's short stories. Turning away, she saw that the desk tucked right next to the bookcase was covered with a laptop and a number of papers and that toward the edge was a small picture frame. Obliging her curiosity, she moved some of the papers around to get a closer look at it.

The frame was relatively small – only about 4 X 4 inches, but to her surprise, carefully placed behind the thin glass was a picture of her. When she saw it, Mary-Lynnette realized that it had originally belonged to a larger picture of her and Mark, but Ash had trimmed the photo, cutting her brother out and leaving a snapshot of just her leaning against the side of her house. Knowing all the work he must have done to get a single picture of her, Mary-Lynnette had the grace to blush.

_Note to self: Get extra copies of senior pictures as soon as possible_, she thought, gently putting the frame down. The lengths that he'd gone to for the tiny portrait gave her a warm feeling of elation, and as such she was feeling extremely bubbly towards him when he came in a few minutes later.

"Mary-Lynnette?" he called, closing the door behind him. Although she was toward the back of his walk-in closet, she heard him clearly enough.

"I'm back here!" she shouted, trying her best to stifle her laughter. As soon as he walked in behind her, though, she felt her senses go haywire and her composure was lost. She couldn't keep from snickering when she presented him with the unforgivable item she'd seen hanging up on the door.

"What's so funny?" he asked, looking slightly paranoid. To answer him, Mary-Lynnette simply held up the glittering silver and purple button-down monstrosity that had almost made her retinas explode.

"Ash ... this is _hideous_," she snorted, tossing the shirt at him. "I haven't seen something this awful since Mark tried to tie-dye his sneakers. What is it _doing_ here?"

Giving her a superior look, Ash straightened out the fabric before hanging it back up. "You obviously have never been clubbing. That shirt is _hot_."

"Making yourself look like a walking disco ball is 'hot'?"

Giving her an offended expression that would've been effective had he not still been wearing his superior look, Ash responded, "Excuse me. When I wear that shirt, I do _not_ look like a walking disco ball."

Her blue eyes flashing with amusement, she crossed her arms and tilted her head. "Oh, really?"

Silver eyes met hers. "Really."

Leaning back against the wall, she simply said, "Prove it."

Ash blinked at her. "Right now?"

Mary-Lynnette nodded. "This I have to see. That shirt would make Elton John go into seizures."

He stared at her for another couple of seconds before shrugging and reaching down to take off his t-shirt. Just as he was doing that, Mary-Lynnette realized the _entire_ extent of her request and felt her heart leap into her throat.

Whether he didn't notice the extreme change in his soulmate's pulse, or he was giving her what he felt she deserved, Ash followed through with his movement, fluidly pulling off the shirt to expose a well-muscled, graceful torso. He was tanner than Mary-Lynnette had originally thought he would be, and her ever-so-slight fixation on the texture of his skin was (to her horror) interrupted a few seconds later when Ash cleared his throat. Embarrassed, she dragged her eyes back to his and did some throat clearing of her own.

"Can you hand me the shirt?" he sweetly asked. "Or is all this stimuli too much for you to handle?"

Although she felt distinctly manipulated and toyed with, Mary-Lynnette sensed his good humor and knew that she'd pretty much asked for the attitude. Grumbling slightly, she grabbed the shirt and almost threw it at him. "I hope you send me into epileptic convulsions," she muttered.

Grinning, Ash tugged on the shirt, fussing with a few of the buttons so that it was open slightly at the neck. Holding his hands out at his sides, he turned around for her and prompted, "Well? Do I look like a reject from the 70's?"

Although Mary-Lynnette was forced to agree that the shirt, for whatever reason, went well his hair and caused his eyes to dance between colors in a provocative manner without looking flamboyant, she would be damned before actually _telling_ him that. Keeping her expression neutral, for all that her blood was practically galloping around her body, she managed: "It doesn't look right with jeans."

Ash glanced down and looked up at her with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Oh. Well, that's because it looks best with black pants. If you want, I can try _those_ on, too —"

"That's all right," she said, scooting around him to leave the closet. "You just, uh, yeah, I'll see you in the living room."

Watching her walk out, Ash's amusement increased tenfold. _Well_, he thought. _It's nice to know she's not as oblivious to my physical charms as she pretends to be._

* * *

Ash emerged from the bedroom a few moments later and found Mary-Lynnette going through her luggage and sorting through her clothes. 

_The staff must've just brought it up_, he thought, flopping down on to the couch and grabbing the case file from the coffee table. Having pulled out all of the clothes she wanted to hang up, Mary-Lynnette stood to ask Ash if he would mind if she used his closet. Peering over his shoulder, she saw a picture of a strikingly beautiful girl.

Needless to say, all thoughts about clothing fled her mind. "Who's that?" she asked, sitting down next to him on the couch.

Ash looked up at her, mentally preparing for what he knew was going to be a rather interesting battle of wills. "Her name's Reina … um … Reina Muñoz Gómez; she's a high profile spy for the Nightworld. Thierry wants me to make contact with her to see if I can get any information out of her."

About a thousand questions flew through Mary-Lynnette's mind, so many that she could only respond with, "So that's what Thierry wanted to see you about."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, he wants me to head to the Iris tonight – she's supposed to be there."

Ignoring the fact that the mission was going to cut into their personal time, she asked, "And what will you do when you find her?"

Ash cleared her throat. "I'll talk to her."

Mary-Lynnette arched her eyebrow. "_Talk_?"

"And dance."

"You'll dance with her."

"And ... charm her. Until she tells me what I need to know."

Mary-Lynnette sat back against the couch, her dress completely forgotten. "So this is just a verbal thing. A verbal/dancing thing."

Ash looked extremely uncomfortable. "We-_ll_ ..."

Mary-Lynnette suddenly remembered one of their first conversations of the summer:

_"Do you still, um ... with other, er …"_

_Catching her line of thought, Ash shook his head, "No. Well," he sort of coughed here, "I don't actually, but I pretend to, and well, it sort of works out that various girls think I, uh, did."_

"I see," she said. "So you seduce them."

His eyes flashing between silver and green, Ash protested, "It's not like that!"

"Well, what do you do then?"

He tossed the folder on to the table, crossing his arms in front of his chest, his general insecurity making him unassumingly honest. "A normal night for me is to go and chat up the girl. I find out where she's from, what she's been up to recently, the kinds of stuff that she likes. We dance, we flirt, and if she's a human or witch then I try to get her to drink as much as I can. Usually, that's enough to get her mind shields to break down long enough for me to telepathically see what I need to see. Then, I implant a memory of a whole evening with me, and I leave."

"And if it's not enough?"

Ash sighed. "Then I physically go with her to a location of her choice and put in the memory from there."

Mary-Lynnette fought against the inclination to be immature, but jealousy and images of her soulmate snuggling up to gorgeous witches, vampires and shapeshifters were enough to make her more than a little insensitive. "What, in the height of passion?"

Ash flinched. "Now that's not fair," he declared. "I would never do that to you. I do a _job_ here, Mary-Lynnette. But it's separate from me, and it's separate from what I feel for you. The soulmate connection – what we are – that's something _nobody_ can touch."

"It's not their potential for success that bothers me, it's their attempts," she muttered.

Ash was about to respond when Mary-Lynnette waved her hand dismissively and took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. "Okay," she said, sitting forward slightly. "Okay. I didn't really think about your work before, I'll admit that. It's just ... not easy for me to deal with. I don't like thinking of you that way."

"There really isn't much of a 'way,'" Ash pointed out. "There's talking, flirting, a little cuddling, but it's not like it means anything."

"But it used to," she reminded him. "And I think it's that memory that makes it even worse for me. Or, maybe my imagination just makes it worse than what it really is." After saying that, she got a look in her eyes.

Ash had a feeling he knew what that look meant. "No. No way. Never, Mary-Lynnette."

"Why not?" she asked, turning sideways so that she could more easily face him. "You said that this was a time for me to see different things."

"The Black Iris isn't a tourist club. It's a Nightworld den full of people who would want nothing more than to tap your veins or destroy your mind." The very thought of Mary-Lynnette being taken as some creep's pet made his stomach churn. "I _know_ what they'll do to you – _I_ used to do those things."

"But I don't have to stay the whole time, I can just peek my head in for an hour and then leave."

Ash shook his head. "No. Not a chance. It's too dangerous. A human girl as gorgeous as you are will draw a ton of attention – you won't stand a chance. Besides," he added. "I can't protect you the entire time that we're there – especially if I find Reina."

"So let's bring somebody else with us who can protect me."

Although Ash knew that such a thing could be easily arranged, he was desperate to keep her away from the club. "Why can't you just trust me on this? Why can't you just accept that it's too dangerous – that you could get hurt?"

Mary-Lynnette thought for long seconds before responding with, "For the entire time I've known you, I've had to hear whispers about your past. I've had to deal with the shadows of things you've done and the echo of actions that you're ashamed of. Don't you think I deserve to experience some of it? To _know_ rather than to _suspect_? I want to understand you, Ash."

He stared off in the direction of the coffee table for long moments, his eyes shimmering as the colors twisted and turned, mirroring his internal conflict. Eventually, he spoke. "If we go, then you can't talk to anybody except your bodyguard," he instructed, his voice soft and serious. "You can't give anybody a chance to read your thoughts – it helps that you're human, so you won't project without meaning to."

"Okay ..." she said, feeling that there was more to come.

"When we go in, you'll see a corner full of oversized chairs and couches. I want you to stay there," he said. "I'll walk in with you, but people won't think twice about us if you do what I say."

"They won't wonder why I'm not standing with you?"

Ash shook his head. "It's not unusual to have vampires cart around their ..."

"Meals," she supplied.

He nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. Their slaves, donors, whatever. I've done it a few times in the past, so nobody should notice."

Mary-Lynnette nodded. "I can do all of that. I don't want to be reckless, Ash. I just want to see this part of your life."

_But I don't know if you can stand to see it_, he thought. Standing up to put the folder away, he thought of something. "I should warn you ahead of time," he said, "Reina is probably going to be a tough case. I may need her to take me somewhere outside of the club. Your bodyguard can drive you back here though, and I should be home before the morning."

Although Mary-Lynnette was most definitely Not Okay with the above scenario, she knew that getting upset with him about it wouldn't help to resolve their problem. Suddenly, the memory of her picture on his desk flashed through her mind, and she felt herself getting slightly choked up.

To Ash's surprise, instead of her yelling at him about needing to go with Reina, she stood up and leaned against him, resting her forehead on his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he enjoyed the opportunity to hold her close, startled to notice that she was shaking slightly.

_Hey_, he thought to her, _It's okay._

It was the first time that he'd spoken to her telepathically since they'd gotten back together, and Mary-Lynnette felt herself instantly relax at the sound of his mental voice. She sighed against him and nodded.

_I'll make it okay_, she thought. _If he can try to be strong for me, then I can be strong for him, too_.

* * *

I now encourage you to move on to Chapter I.10! 


	10. Chapter I10

Like I promised – few notes, and more story. Have fun!

* * *

_**For a Knight's Lady**_

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Ash checked his wristwatch for the twentieth time, knowing that if he showed up inside of the Black Iris anytime before nine, the entire club would go into an uproar – such an early hour was practically unheard of when it came to Ash Redfern. Lucky for him, dinner had taken longer than usual and Mary-Lynnette had spent a few extra minutes fussing with her make-up. 

_At least she's better than most women_, he thought. _David once told me that it took Gillian two hours to get ready for a Solstice ceremony._

It was a shame that Mary-Lynnette hadn't had the chance to meet the fashion-oriented witch or her human soulmate. Ash had been looking to have David guard her when they went to the Iris that evening, but Thierry had told him during dinner that the pair was somewhere in Ecuador looking for high-energy spots. Gillian had been predicting a volcano eruption for weeks and Thierry had finally relented and let her go to South America to see if she was right or not.

Still, the absence of Gillian and David aside, Mary-Lynnette had had the opportunity to meet some of the most important people in Circle Daybreak, including Thea's soulmate Eric, Lady Hannah, the former vampire-hunter Rashel, and Rashel's infamous soulmate, Quinn. In fact, Ash had asked Rashel to come as Mary-Lynnette's guard in David's place, teasing her about her past experiences with Nightworld clubs. Although there was some slight grumbling at first, she'd eventually relented, but only under the condition that they would stay for just an hour.

Glancing over at Mary-Lynnette, who was sitting quietly next to him in back of the limousine, Ash admitted (partly with appreciation and partly with agitation) that she looked amazing and that she would probably require every ounce of Rashel's protective abilities that evening.

_She's going to draw guys to her the instant we walk into the club_, he thought, reaching over to gently squeeze her hand. _I swear this is the worst idea we've ever had. _Suddenly remembering one of his connections at the Iris, he realized, _Well, maybe there's an extra precaution I can take._

Giving Mary-Lynnette a small smile and not feeling very reassured by the tiny one she gave him in return, Ash glanced at his watch again.

"It's 9:30," he said, unbuckling his seatbelt. "We can go in now." Before he stepped out of the car, he projected to her: _Do you remember everything I told you?_

She nodded.

_And you're sure you want to go through with this?_

"I'm sure, Ash."

He sighed in defeat and opened the door, swinging himself up and out of the car. Once Mary-Lynnette stepped out, he draped his arm around her and waved to the driver. Rashel was already inside of the club and waiting for Mary-Lynnette.

From the first step Ash took towards the club, Mary-Lynnette could sense the change in him. His posture, his facial expressions, even the way he was _breathing_ were all different from the rhythms she associated with her life mate. The person next to her wasn't the Ash she knew and loved, but someone else – someone predatory and dangerous. Someone that reminded her of what she'd met almost a year ago in Briar Creek.

Biting down momentary panic as she felt his loss, Mary-Lynnette managed to get control over herself and play her part – a spacey, over drugged, and under appreciated pet. Lucky for her, the role only required that she say very little and giggle a lot.

Walking around to the back of a building, she saw an extremely long line leading up to a large, black, metal door. Ash skipped everybody in line, heading straight for the front, and Mary-Lynnette could hear the gasps and whispers behind her.

" ... Redfern playboy ..."  
" ... SO hot ..."  
"... was with Kristin _and _Maria last week..."  
"... he always gets the good ones ..."

The last comment Mary-Lynnette caught before reaching the door startled her, as she had the distinct feeling that the male speaker had been calling _her_ one of the 'good ones.' Once they reached the door, Ash moved to shake the bouncer's hand, keeping a tight hold on her waist.

"Hey Gabe, what's goin' on?"

Gabe, an enormous Hispanic-looking man with almost unfathomably dark eyes returned Ash's handshake with enthusiasm. "Ash, man, where ya been? The ladies are lookin' for you – I've had to break up three fights tonight because your look-alikes are in town. You really need to put a stop to that – it's bad for business."

Ash shrugged, tossing a grin and making a show of drawing Mary-Lynnette closer. "What can I say? I've been on a winning streak. Check out what I brought tonight – she's from the East coast. My old man got her for me so I could show her Vegas." Following through with his earlier inspiration, Ash looked around and leaned forward conspiratorially, "She's_ well trained_ if you know what I mean, and I'd hate to lose her to some young buck. Keep an eye on her, will you? She can leave with Shelly, but kick anybody else's ass that goes near her, alright?" Ash accompanied his request with a few hundred-dollar bills.

Acting as if he got that kind of money on an hourly basis, Gabe pocketed the bills and took another look at Mary-Lynnette. "Sure thing, man, just put her by the chairs when you make your rounds and I'll keep an eye on her." Looking back to the line he shouted, "Ay! Keep it down back there! You'll get your turn!" He turned back to Ash and opened the door, waving the pair through. "Enjoy, man. Get in a little extra for me, eh?"

Ash waved back at him. "I'll see what I can do."

Through the first hurdle of actually getting into the club, it took a few seconds for Mary-Lynnette's eyes to adjust to the dim interior of the building. She immediately saw the infamous corner filled with overstuffed couches and chairs, and was happy to note that it was by a couple of exit doors. Tucked next to the corner was a bar filled with beverages both familiar and unfamiliar to her. Although the room was filled with a smoky, misty haze, she could see a dance floor, numerous tables and chairs, and what she thought was a microphone setup near a stage.

"Hey, sweetheart, why don't you go sit by the chairs for awhile? I've got some business to take care of," Ash whispered to her, squeezing her slightly and giving her a little kiss before gently pushing her in the direction of the chairs. As soon as she was separated from his arm, a swarm of females started to surround him.

"Whoa, ladies. Please, I just got here."

Gritting her teeth in preparation for what she _knew_ was going to be an annoying hour, Mary-Lynnette spotted Rashel sitting on one of the couches and made her way over to her.

"I almost didn't recognize you," Mary-Lynnette whispered to the human girl, who was somewhat unusually attired in a slinky, black dress.

Rashel shrugged, flipping her long, black hair behind her back. "Darkness is darkness, no matter what clothing we wear."

"Oh, that's so _deep!_" gushed a high-pitched female voice from Rashel's left. "I just LOVE trying to find new ways into the darkness. In fact – oh! Ash is here!" Staring at the tiny blonde in morbid fascination, Mary-Lynnette watched as the squealer in question ran to the crowd around Ash and tried her best to wiggle her way under the mob.

"Is it always like this?" she asked, trying to see above the crowd to keep an eye on her soulmate.

Rashel snorted, shifting her weight slightly. "Usually. He's a favorite."

"Great ..." Mary-Lynnette commented, sitting back to watch the show.

* * *

"I can't _possibly_ be your favorite, Surrayah," Ash teased, tickling the Indian-looking werewolf behind the ears. "You've only let me nibble on you once or twice." 

The girl pouted, her luminous black eyes looking even larger. "That's because you always stand me up! Come on, Ash, when are you going to take me for that drive you keep promising?"

_When Hell freezes over_, he thought, letting his eyes scan the crowd once again for any sign of Reina. He'd been at the club for a good half hour, and he figured she would be showing up sometime soon.

In the meantime, though: "When I get the convertible back, sweetheart. You don't want to go riding around L.A. in just a limo, right? You should have the wind in your hair." He emphasized his comment by running his fingers through a little of it. "It's so hot – and I just gotta see it flying all freely."

Giggling, the werewolf was about to come up with a reply when Ash was addressed by a sultry voice behind him. "Excuse me, Señor Redfern." Ash lazily turned around and saw that he was only inches away from the Señorita herself. Dressed in a nearly see-through white dress accentuated by bursts of red and black, Reina Muñoz Gómez was everything Ash figured she would be, and she looked primed for a night on the town.

_It's about time_. Giving his previous female a slight pat on the cheek, Ash deliberately shifted his position so that it would be more inviting to the vampire witch, and gave her a lazy grin. "What can I do for you?"

"You seem to be the most generous man here this evening," she purred, giving him a very obvious once-over. "It would only be appropriate, then, for _you_ to buy me a drink."

Shifting his body even closer to hers, he whispered into her ears, "Sweetheart, I don't buy _anybody_ any _kind_ of drink until I know who they are. I need a name before you see a drop."

Her eyes flashed with fire, and Ash was glad that he'd decided to provoke her – if he gave her a challenge, then she was likely to stick around longer. It also helped that she'd decided to approach him first – it meant he'd already caught her interest and wouldn't have to work all that hard at keeping the upper hand.

After a few tense moments, she let out a big, boisterous laugh. "Very well! You win this round! My name is Reina – my family is the Gómez family from Spain. You will have heard of them, of course. You know," she murmured, leaning towards him, "In English, my name means 'Queen.'"

"Does it now?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. "Well, then. Hey, Mike," he called to the bartender. "We have royalty here – let's get the lady something to drink."

* * *

Mary-Lynnette had to hand it to Rashel, the former vampire hunter knew a lot about these kinds of clubs and her tips and tricks were doing a lot to help Mary-Lynnette keep her sanity in the face of how _popular_ her soulmate was with his client.

After the spirited Reina had decided to make an appearance, barking an order to her massive entourage to spread out through the club, her eyes had lit on Ash and she'd immediately gone over to him. Ash's crowd had sensed the intense competition and, with the exception of a few girls who were content to sit and stare at him from their seats, had left Reina a clear path to the handsome vampire.

_On one hand,_ Mary-Lynnette mused, _It's good that I can actually see him now. I was right – my imagination WAS making this worse than it actually is. On the other hand_, she noted, observing how Reina's outer thigh brushed against Ash's, _I think this is still all stuff I'd just as soon not have happen at all._

Rashel nudged Mary-Lynnette. "Don't stare too much," she cautioned. "It'll just make it worse. Besides, the readings are going to start." Glancing at Rashel and feeling reassured by her calm, green eyes, Mary-Lynnette nodded and turned her attention to what were indeed a microphone and a stage. Rashel had explained that the Black Iris had poetry slams every Wednesday night, and Mary-Lynnette was interested to see what kind of creative talent this kind of place attracted. A teenage boy around fourteen years old that reminded her of young Billy Idol was currently settling himself on to the stool, and after adjusting the height of the microphone stand he began to recite:

"Should the earth engulf this soul of mine,  
Or fire burn it new,  
I would that water could wash it pure,  
Or air would shift all through.  
But life offers nothing up to me,  
And death is not my friend,  
So it is the Darkness I call freely,  
To find my peace and end."

_You've got to be kidding me_, she dazedly thought, joining in the applause with the rest of the audience for lack of another response. Something must have stood out about her reaction, though, because as the boy was leaving the stage, he caught her eye and started to head in her direction.

Up to that point, Mary-Lynnette had already spent a great portion of the previous forty-five minutes discouraging any would-be suitors. Gabe had been of great use, and she had heard his rough voice on more than one occasion as he'd commanded yet another young daredevil to get away from her as she was one of Ash's "favorites." Rashel had also been a lifesaver, having to do very little more than _look_ at any potential Don Juans before they ventured elsewhere. This boy seemed different, though, and Mary-Lynnette waved Gabe off when he started to snap at him. Rashel gave Mary-Lynnette a look of alarm, clearly about to take control of the situation herself, but the brown-haired girl shook her head.

_I hope you know what you're doing_, Rashel mused, feeling uncomfortable about letting the young man get so close. She glanced in Ash's direction and saw the briefest flicker of his eyes towards Mary-Lynnette. Making a split-second decision, she leaned back and seemed to shift into a position of relaxation. In reality, however, she was settling into a stance that would give her as much movement as possible if she needed to protect her charge.

Giving the young teen a small smile, Mary-Lynnette said, "Hi. That was an ... interesting poem."

The youth sat down in a chair next to her, his ice-blonde hair changing colors as the stage lights hit his head at different angles. He looked at her and shrugged, "It's okay," he said. "You can say it – I know my poetry sucks."

Mary-Lynnette blinked. _Well, if he's going to be THAT honest about it... _

"Why do you write it then?" she asked.

He shrugged again. "I'm bored, mostly," he said. Glancing around the room he rolled his eyes, "You see a lot of really weird people coming into these clubs. Lots of them are Nightworld, but a lot of them are dumb girls who are obsessed with trying to hook up with that guy." He tossed his thumb behind him and pointed at Ash.

_I'll try not to be **too** offended about that comment, _she decided, changing the subject slightly, "Why come here at all if you can't meet anybody you like?"

Again the teen shrugged. Mary-Lynnette was beginning to wonder if it was his only form of body language. "Not a whole lot else for me to do at night."

"What about hanging out at home with your parents?"

The youth gave her a bizarre look. "You're kidding, right? I haven't seen those losers in years. They took off when I was, like, four. Most of the kids in here don't have parents – they were either killed off by the Nightworld or they disappeared."

Mary-Lynnette was startled into taking another look around the club, this time seeing every teen as a potential orphan. The mindset did a lot to change her opinion of the place, and she found herself observing more confused and restless spirits and fewer hopeless cases of delinquency.

_Is that what causes this_, she wondered. _Lack of love and understanding? A sense of not belonging? Could responsible parenting have stopped all of the pain I feel here?_

"Do you reach out to the Darkness because you don't want to keep hoping for better things?" This came from Rashel, and Mary-Lynnette was surprised to see the girl's green eyes serious and troubled.

Running his hand through his blonde hair, the boy replied, "I guess so. Darkness isn't real or anything, so I guess that's why I like it. If something isn't real, then it can't exist in the first place. And it can't _stop_ existing." Looking as though he was growing tired of the conversation topic, he suddenly turned to Mary-Lynnette and asked, "So ... do you like bread?"

Mary-Lynnette blinked. "Excuse me?"

The boy shrugged. "You're obviously human, because you came in with Ash. Although, I will say that you're a lot smarter than most of the girls he brings. Either way, I hear humans like bread."

Deciding to ignore his question about her culinary preferences, Mary-Lynnette posed one of her own, "What do you mean by 'obviously human'?"

The kid snorted. "Ash always comes _in_ with humans, and leaves with Nightworld girls. It's sort of a tradeoff – you know if you get a girl Ash had, then she's well trained and a lot of fun."

"How often does he do that?" she couldn't help asking.

"A few times a week I guess. It's pretty common – he's been doing it for years."

_A few times a week for at least a couple of years? That's ... _

_Hundreds of girls, _Mary-Lynnette realized.

Looking down at her watch, she saw that she'd been in the club for over an hour. Transferring her gaze to Ash, she saw that his client had decided to use him as her seat, and that she was currently making all the overtures he would need for a more private party.

_That's it. I'm out of here_, she decided. Standing up, she looked at Rashel, who had a pretty good idea of where Mary-Lynnette wanted to go. Nodding to the kid, Mary-Lynnette made her way out of the club, tossing a final glance in Ash's direction before she exited.

* * *

Ash sighed as he shut the door to Thierry's mansion. Glancing at his watch, he winced at the late hour. 

"Four o'clock," he grumbled to himself, slowly taking the staircase to the second floor. Reina had been more difficult to handle than he'd thought she'd be, and it had taken until two to get her out of the Iris and to her hotel. Once there, the process had been remarkably simple, as her defenses were fairly worn down from a night of gallivanting in Las Vegas. He got the information that he wanted, but it wasn't something he was keen on reporting to Thierry until later on that day.

In the meantime, all he wanted to do was find Mary-Lynnette and sleep. He'd seen the look on her face as she'd left the club earlier that evening with Rashel, and he'd filed away the worry and fear while he was still working with his target. Now that the entire operation was over, though, the reactions were coming back and they were leaving him more than a little disconcerted.

Finally reaching his room, Ash unlocked the door to his suite and silently stepped inside, locking it behind him. His ears immediately registered Mary-Lynnette's breathing, and he saw that she was sleeping on his couch. Creeping over to it, he'd barely reached her before dropping to his knees. He rested his head on the couch cushion and drank in the sight of her, feeling the negative effects of the evening drain away the longer he watched her. Eventually, he reached out and gently traced her delicate features with his hand, tucking her hair back away from her face.

_I know how Thierry feels_, Ash thought to himself. _Everything I try to do so that things get better only seem to hurt you_. Noticing that she looked a little cramped on the couch, he carefully scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his bed. He moved her so gently that she barely responded to the movements, only murmuring slightly as he covered her with new sheets. Staying by her a moment longer, Ash gave into impulse and gently kissed her forehead before walking back to the living room. Tugging off his shirt and pants, he tumbled on to the couch, feeling peaceful once his senses registered that Mary-Lynnette was only a room away.

* * *

t wasn't more than an hour after he'd crashed on the couch that Ash awoke feeling as though something was very wrong. Listening intently for a few moments, he heard frenzied movement from his bedroom, and his heart flew to his throat in fear. Leaping over the couch, he ran for the bedroom, bursting through the door in only a handful of seconds.

To his infinite relief, the bedroom was empty with the exception of Mary-Lynnette, although it was evident that she was having some sort of nightmare. Rubbing his face as his pulse began to beat at a normal rate again, he turned on one of the lights and went to sit on the bed, reaching out for his soulmate to try to awaken her.

"Mary-Lynnette," he softly called, doing his best not to startle her into consciousness. His voice only prompted more struggle, though, and even when he gently shook her, she seemed firmly settled into whatever dream she was having.

As the seconds ticked by, Ash became uncertain of what to do. If he tried any more of a physical jolt, he was afraid that he would hurt her. He also didn't know how much louder he could shout without frightening her. Eventually, her head turned away from him, leaving her neck exposed.

_The Soulmate connection_, he realized, feeling slightly perturbed that he hadn't thought about it before. Still, he was still hesitant to open a blood channel between the two of them so that their souls were intimately connected – he hadn't done it in over a year and he didn't want to go through her innermost thoughts without her permission.

_It's also not exactly how I'd imagined it happening_, he grumbled to himself, remembering the elaborate romantic evening he'd wanted for the two of them.

His decision to act was made once he saw Mary-Lynnette's physical struggles cease in favor of shuddering tears. Hoping that she wouldn't be upset with him, he leaned over and bit her as gently as he could, feeling the silver chord almost shimmer with triumph as a direct connection was finally established.

Even as he presently found himself in Mary-Lynnette's mind, Ash recalled the way it had been a year before – like a galaxy full of stars where each star was a new memory, thought, or emotion that she'd had. It was bright and warm and unbearably beautiful. There was infinite potential and an almost desperate yearning to share it all with somebody.

With him.

Not sure where to begin looking for her, Ash began to call her with his mind, trying to toss out positive, loving thoughts like fish lines. After awhile, things began to change and Ash no longer found himself in brightly lit universe, but rather, to his confusion, a movie theater.

Walking down the long aisle, he eventually spotted Mary-Lynnette sitting in the front row. He jogged to her as quickly as he could, and once he reached her seat, he saw that she was looking intently at the movie screen.

And on the screen was her nightmare.

Ash was confused when he first saw it, as it didn't look anything like the nightmares he'd ever had. Mary-Lynette was running around her house, frantically looking for something. He saw her tear apart the living room and kitchen, calling a name over and over, although he couldn't hear what it was. Eventually, she left the house and ran toward her hill, tears streaming down her face. When she got there, Ash saw a lion stretched out on his side, looking rather contented in the early afternoon sun. As soon as the large cat caught sight of her, however, it changed shape and became a regular-sized housecat that ran up to her, twirling between her legs.

_What the—?_ he wondered, taking a seat next to her in the theater. She didn't acknowledge his presence, but kept her eyes transfixed straight ahead.

The image of Mary-Lynnette knelt down and picked up the cat, burrowing her nose in its fur and cuddling with it lovingly. It blinked sleepy eyes up at her and Ash was disconcerted when he saw that the cat's eyes looked like his own as they shifted in and out of different colors.

_Well, I don't need Freud to help me figure out that one_.

Just then, as soon as Mary-Lynnette looked like she was about to take a seat with the cat, it leapt away, turning back into a lion as it flew in midair. Once it landed, it glanced back at the human girl and then started to run down the hill. Visibly upset, Mary-Lynnette ran after it, but no matter how hard she tried, the lanky feline stayed yards ahead of her. Eventually, she found herself back in her house where she began to tear through the now-spotless furniture.

_So she's in a dream loop_, Ash mused. Sighing heavily, he turned to Mary-Lynnette and kneeled down in front of her, taking her hand. He kissed it gently, and the action finally caught her attention, making her look down at him as she noticed his presence for the first time.

_Are you real?_ she asked, the uncertainty evident in her voice.

Ash smiled. _Yeah, I'm real. You're having a nightmare_, he said.

Mary-Lynnette's blinked and stretched before glancing up at the screen and paling at the sight. _You saw that?_

He nodded, _I did. Is that what you really think? That I'm going to leave you?_

Mary-Lynnette was silent for a few moments, but Ash could sense her trying to sort through her emotions. Eventually, she offered _I didn't mean to upset you._

Ash sat down on the ground and pulled Mary-Lynnette into his lap, his soul gently holding her own. Deciding to take some extra liberties despite the fact that he was more inside of her mind than his own, he banished the movie theater and replaced it with her hill back in Oregon. Once settled comfortably under the stars, he said to her, _You didn't upset me, Mary-Lynnette. I didn't know that you were so scared. I thought you were just unsure of stuff between us._

Her soul quivered slightly before she responded with, _I guess I **am** scared._

_Of what?_

The thought was immediate and came from deep inside of her – perhaps it was her most closely guarded secret: _Losing you. _

_Nothing will ever be right again if you go away_, she explained, an enormous wave of love and desire following her thought and wrapping around Ash.

Certainly not doubting her but still a little confused about her recent behavior, he probed, _If you want to be so close to me, why have you tried to keep up so many walls? _

_I wasn't sure how to get us back together again_, she confessed. _Back together like this, I mean. It all just seemed so awkward and strange, and I didn't know how to tell you what I wanted._

_So ... you don't **actually**_ _want to sleep in separate beds?_

He felt her amusement and it did wonders to lighten his heart. _Not really_, she answered. _I was so excited about the idea of being with you, but then, with my parents and everything, I just sort of freaked out. It all seemed like it was wrong because it was happening so quickly._

_That's a human notion_, he declared. _Soulmate love isn't like regular love, for all that it has different levels._

Seeing that their souls were so deeply entwined, Ash sensed that the problem wasn't quite resolved. He gently nudged it, waiting for her to let him know what else was bothering her. Eventually, he received a sense of what her emotions had been like at the club: full of fear and worry. A sense of loneliness.

After she'd let him see her feelings, she explained, _I just felt so **different**__from you tonight. There are times, like now, that I feel like you and I are two parts of the same person. But tonight, I didn't even recognize you. It really upset me. _

_We are parts of the same whole though, _he told her, the strength of his conviction coming through his statement.

Mary-Lynnette thought for a minute before conjuring the lion before them. She reached out to it and it sniffed warily at her fingers. _This is how I see you sometimes_, she said. _Separate from me, apart from me. You're so strong, and so beautiful, that I feel like we don't even exist in the same ways. There are parts of you I don't understand, and things I want desperately to know but I'm not even sure if we're speaking the same language._

Ash was speechless, and had no choice but to let her continue.

_Sometimes_, she said, moving to pick up the cat and holding it against her after it transformed, _I feel like we're on a similar level – that we have a relationship that I understand and that I can handle. But then something happens,_ here the cat jumped out of her hands and turned back into a lion_, and things go back to the way they were before. I feel distanced from you again. I felt like that tonight at the club – like you were far away from me in a place I could never really be a part of. _

He processed her analysis for a minute before imagining the cat in his arms and placing it into Mary-Lynnette's. _Have you ever thought about it from the cat's point of view?_

He felt her confusion. _What?_

_Think about it_, he said. _The cat starts out as a lion, all alone and without anybody around that loves him. All of a sudden, this gorgeous, intelligent, and strong human comes and makes him realize the parts of him that he forgot. And she holds him, and loves him, and makes him feel as though everything should be okay. _

_Okay ... _

_But she likes the housecat, _Ash pointed out. _She didn't hug or cuddle the lion – maybe the cat's just scared that she won't love all of him._

_But I ran after the lion_, she said. _I tried to catch him, but he ran away from me._

_Maybe he didn't understand you were running after him_, Ash suggested. _If he's not used to being around you ... he may not understand everything you do._

Mary-Lynnette turned to him. _You really think I'm gorgeous, intelligent, and strong?_

Ash smiled. _Yeah,_ he answered. _And a lot more. You can see, if you want._

She turned and saw the entrance into Ash's mind sitting at the base of the hill – a multicolored tangle of tree-like images. She stared at it for long moments before smiling. _It's filled with more light than the last time I saw it_, she observed. She shifted back to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. _I love you,_ she told him, letting him take all of her weight – not because she needed him to, but because she wanted him to.

Relieved that they had managed to get through another crisis, Ash pulled her as close to him as he could, assuring her: _I love you, too. You're my Lady, Mary-Lynnette. I'll do whatever I can so that you can accept all of me – the cat, **and** the lion._

* * *

And there you have it, the end of our first major plot arc. It seems like our couple is really starting to grow up – although I have to wonder how far they'll ever get from the impulse to kick each other. . 

And now, should you feel the inclination to tell me what you liked or didn't like, I wouldn't turn away any reviews!

See you next time!


	11. Chapter II1

Hey guys! I'm not dead, I swear, it's just been a rather interesting couple of weeks. But, things have somewhat calmed down enough so that I was able to finish Chapter II.1 and post it for you. This chapter officially starts off our next plot arc, which I hope will be a complete (yet pleasant) surprise to every single one of you. 

A couple of notes before we begin – I'm going to change my updating schedule to once every two weeks. The main reason for this is that school starts for me later on this month and I have a lot to do preparation-wise. Furthermore, I'm going to be crazy-busy once classes etc. start. Please take heart though – this story is extremely important to me and I'm going to make every effort to keep up with it. _In My Sight_ will be receiving semi-regular updates as well.

I have so many, my responses to all of the incredible (and highly appreciated!) reviews will be at the end of this chapter.

Enjoy!

* * *

**_  
For a Knight's Lady_**

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Ash rolled over in his sleep, unconsciously trying to figure out why his covers kept disappearing. Eventually, his inability to find any form of blanket or sheet was enough to wake him, and his eyes opened to see that Mary-Lynnette had wrapped the linens in question all around her, burrowing deep inside of them at the far edge of the bed. 

_This is not cool_, he decided, pushing himself into a sitting position and shaking his hair out of his eyes. Squinting at the bedside clock, he saw that it was only around eight or so, and figured that he could count on Mary-Lynnette sleeping _at least_ another two hours.

For him to survive those two hours, however, their bedding situation was going to have to drastically change. Reaching over to the other side of the bed, he delicately uncoiled the sheets from around his soulmate's body, trying his best to avert his eyes when the blanket was nestled anywhere above her knees. Eventually, he managed to extricate Mary-Lynnette from her nest and to straighten out the covers. As soon as he'd distributed the cloth between the two of them, however, she started to tug at it, pulling it around her body once again.

_Oh no you don't_, he thought, pulling back. He was both amused and annoyed when she met his strength with her own, entering a tug of war despite her unconscious state.

_I **would** have a soulmate that fights even when she's asleep_, he observed, pulling a little harder.

Mary-Lynnette had seemed to be growing slowly more agitated with his attempts to keep her from the covers when her struggles suddenly ceased. Taking that as a sign of victory, Ash started to loosen his grip and lie back down on the bed. Before his head had hit the pillow, however, she gave a quick, firm tug, taking at least half of the bedding back and curling it around her.

_Okay, that's it._

Sitting up, Ash once again went through the tiring process of freeing his sheet and blanket from Mary-Lynnette. After he'd done that, and before she could try to reclaim them a third time, he pulled her against his body, wrapping his arms around her and tucking her head underneath his chin.

"There," he said, although he knew she couldn't hear him. "At least now we'll _both_ stay warm."

Feeling her first start to squirm away but then change her mind and nestle against him, he had to admit that this new position was definitely one of his better ideas. Gently nuzzling the side of her face, he was finally able to go back to sleep.

* * *

Squinting against the invading sunlight, Mary-Lynette moved to rub her eyes and arch into a full body stretch, but instead felt a full body _shock_ when she realized that her arms and legs were currently occupied and fully wrapped around Ash. 

_When did **that** happen?_ she wondered, feeling her pulse leap with surprise and mild panic.

Considering that Ash was asleep, his breathing light and airy against her cheek, responses were not exactly forthcoming.

Feeling a sense of calmness seep into her the longer that she consciously registered Ash's body next to her, Mary-Lynnette took a deep breath.

_Okay_, she thought. _Something must've happened last night to inspire this change in sleeping arrangements. What was it?_

Thinking back over the night's events, she remembered coming back to the mansion, talking briefly with Rashel, and going to bed. And then—

_And then I had a nightmare_, she remembered. _About ... losing Ash. And he came into my dream_ (she wiggled one of her hands free and touched her neck to feel the slight tenderness of puncture wounds from his teeth), _and he got me out of it. And we talked._

Feeling more content with her situation now that she had all of her memories sorted out, Mary-Lynnette took the time to bask in the warmth of Ash's long frame and the tenderness of his relaxed expression, feeling giddy at how _innocent_ he looked while sleeping. Almost hesitantly, she reached up to brush some of his hair out of his eyes, smiling at how his brow furrowed slightly at the contact before he burrowed his head deeper into the pillow and pulled her against him even more.

Although she was comfortable with her current position, Mary-Lynnette wasn't one who normally lingered in bed, and it didn't take long for her brain to start planning things it wanted to do during the day. The planning process was quickly followed by a general desire to get up and start _acting_.

_What's the protocol for getting out of bed when you're with somebody?_ she wondered, casting her eyes over their tangled limbs. _At least, what do you do if you don't want to wake the other person up? _She saw how she could easily dump Ash on the other side of the bed, but after their bonding the night before, she was feeling rather kindly towards him.

That is, until he decided to join her in consciousness.

"If you're not going to kiss me senseless, and you're not going to stop all that mumbling and analyzing, then just get up already and let me sleep," Ash said, yawning slightly before relinquishing some of his hold on Mary-Lynnette.

Blinking rapidly at him, Mary-Lynnette eventually found her vocal chords and responded, "Kiss you _senseless_?"

Opening one dark-green eye to look at her, Ash answered, "Well, yeah. Isn't that how _most _soulmates say good-morning?"

"How am _I_ supposed to know that?" Narrowing her eyes, she followed up with, "How do _you_ know that?"

Ash grumbled, "Not from practice, that's for sure. Call it my ideal." Here, he grabbed a pillow and used it to cover the top of his head before adding, "But since it seems I'm being denied my dreams, I suggest you go and get breakfast since there's nothing in here to sate your appetite save yours truly."

His bizarre morning sense of humor was almost enough to distract her from something else he'd said – but not quite. Tugging on the pillow, she inquired, "Ash? Did you say something about me mumbling?"

His voice floated out from underneath the pillow, "Yeah. When you were angsting about morning-after etiquette. There aren't any set rules, so you know. Just try not to wake me up with false hopes."

Ignoring his sarcasm, she pointed out, "But, Ash, I wasn't talking. All of that was _musing. _In my head. To _myself_."

Ash pulled the pillow off of his face. "Really?" She nodded. "No way," he said, sitting up and resting his head against the bed board. Given his recent teasing, and the entire shirt episode from the day before, Mary-Lynnette valiantly tried to keep her mind away from the fact that he was sitting next to her in nothing but boxers.

It was _extremely_ difficult, to say the least.

Clearing her throat slightly, she assured him, "I'm not joking. I didn't say anything until _after_ you started talking to me."

His eyes now a light hazel as he began to think, Ash stared at the bedspread for a few moments, rubbing his chin slightly. Eventually, he looked up at Mary-Lynnette and she heard his voice in her head.

_Can you hear this?_

She nodded. "Sure, but –"

_Don't answer me with your voice. Try to answer me with your mind._

"But Ash, I don't have any telepath –"

_Come on, just try._

Figuring that she might as well go along with him in the interest of scientific research, she decided to be creative and tried to project a few lines of a poem by Ben Johnson: _I sent thee late a rosy wreath/ Not so much honouring thee/ As giving it a hope that there / It could not withered be._

Ash's eyes widened in surprise, shimmering into their jostled-multi hued state. Mary-Lynnette clearly heard his voice inside of her mind recite: _But thou thereon didst only breath/ And sent'st it back to me/ Since, when it grows and smells, I swear/ Not of itself, but thee._

_The last quatrain of the poem_, she thought.

"_To Celia," _Ash affirmed. _It's one of my favorites._

Although poetry was a subject that Mary-Lynnette was more than interested in discussing, it couldn't keep her away from the rather stunning revelation they'd made.

"We're telepathically connected," she said, needing the observation to be verbally validated. Looking to Ash in confusion, she asked, "How did this happen?"

Ash reached for her hand, rubbing her palm gently with the pads of his fingers. "From last night, I would guess. I was in your mind for a while – _long_ after I stopped drinking. Maybe that, and us being soulmates, just sort of ..."

"Opened a channel?" she suggested.

Ash nodded. "Yeah."

Feeling her curiosity grow in proportion to her excitement, she prodded, "So, can you hear _all_ my thoughts?"

Ash shrugged. "I guess if you projected all of them, sure. If you don't want me to hear them, though, then just imagine that you're turning down the volume. That should give you some privacy."

_That's fair enough_, she mused, trying out the low-volume method. Glancing at Ash, he didn't act as if he'd heard anything. "Okay," she said. "Um, should this work with other people? Or just us?"

"I'm not sure," he said, scratching his head. "This hasn't exactly happened to me before. We can ask around later when we go down for breakfast." He turned his head toward the clock, seeing that it was past ten thirty. "Or brunch," he amended.

Mary-Lynnette couldn't stop herself from observing, "But I thought brunch started at _eleven_ thirty?"

Glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, Ash nonchalantly responded, "Well, then I guess we have an hour to kill. We could ... read together if you want."

_Read together? _she mentally echoed.

_It's not **that** bad of an idea_, Ash tossed back.

Thinking more softly to herself, Mary-Lynnette noted, _This telepathy is going to take some getting used to._

Linking his hands and arching his back in a cat-like stretch, Ash grumbled at Mary-Lynnette. "Fine, then. If you don't want to read, then what _do_ you suggest?"

Watching him stretch, Mary-Lynnette was dimly aware that she was probably drooling on to the bedspread. Ash caught the look in her eyes, and the barest hint of an idea in her head. Flashing her a kilowatt grin, he started to scoot next to her. "Well, we _could_ go back to that whole kissing-me-senseless idea I mentioned."

Backing away slightly and hitting a wall, Mary-Lynnette was both pleased and panicked that she'd run out of room. "You've got to be joking."

Angling himself above her, Ash nuzzled at her ear before declaring, "Make no mistake. With you, that is one thing I would _never_ joke about."

* * *

A little over an hour later, as Mary-Lynnette was settling herself on a couch in one of Thierry's dens, carefully balancing a plate of French toast on her lap, she had to admit to herself that she could definitely get used to mornings with her extremely ... energetic ... soulmate.

From across the room, Ash snorted and nearly dropped the dishes that he was carrying. Mary-Lynnette looked at him in alarm, turning bright red from the shock.

_Note to self: use inside-inside voice next time._

_It's cool_, Ash soothed as he sat down on her left. _Just give me warning if you're going to have such vivid thoughts._

Bouncing on to the couch across from them, Poppy greeted the pair, oblivious to the rising tension. "Hey! How's it going?"

Coughing to clear her throat (and her mind), Mary-Lynnette turned her attention to the female vampire, glad to see her again. "Good," she answered. "When did you and James get into town?"

Poppy reached up and grabbed a slice of bacon off of James's plate as the tall young man sat down beside her. "Earlier this morning," she answered. "We decided that stuff would be more interesting here than in Beverly Hills." Giving the human girl a mischievous look, she added, "And James wants to go and play in the new laser tag arena they have set up near the Strip. Want to come?"

"_I_ want to," Quinn said, pulling up an ottoman for Rashel before sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of it. Mary-Lynnette was amused to note that instead of eating human food, he was drinking some thick, red liquid out of a tall coffee mug.

_I don't have to guess what **that** is._

_Nutritious and delicious_, Ash joked. _Tastes just like chicken._

Mary-Lynnette groaned inwardly. _You're really having fun with this whole being-inside-of-my-head thing, aren't you?_

Ash chose not to answer her, instead leaning to the side to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. With some effort, Mary-Lynnette dragged her attention back to the conversation.

"…and our final answer is _no_, Quinn. You always win when we play, and I swear to High Hera that you're cheating." Poppy crossed her arms and gave the aggrieved cheater a look that reeked of moral high ground.

Deciding to mediate, Rashel tapped her soulmate on the head with her spoon. "Poppy's right," Rashel said. "You _do_ cheat." Before Quinn could open his mouth to defend himself, she pressed on, "And besides, we have practice weapons that need to be rewrapped – you owe me for skipping out on training lessons last week."

The bickering would probably have kept going had Thierry and Hannah not then entered the den, shutting the doors behind them. Quinn gave Rashel a mournful look before looking down to nurse his cup. Although Mary-Lynnette was more focused on the new couple, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Rashel placed her hand tenderly on Quinn's shoulder, and that he took it, kissing the back of her palm.

_That's really sweet_, she thought.

Ash glanced at her. _He didn't used to be sweet_, he projected. _Quinn had a reputation that was worse than mine. He used to be ruthless._

Having a hard time reconciling such a violent image with the seemingly sweet young man in front of her, she asked, _What changed, then?_

_He met Rashel. She totally turned him around – and he helped her deal with some stuff, too. She has childhood trauma issues that make MY family look healthy and communicative._

Glancing around as Thierry and Hannah moved to get breakfast, Rashel noticed that given all she knew of the present soulmate couples, there probably wasn't a single instance where the soulmate bond hadn't done something to fundamentally change each and every person in the room.

_The bond forces us to grow and change_, she observed, sipping her juice. _I guess your soulmate can act like a mirror to your **own** soul – helping you see things that you may never have known were there._

Ash grinned, putting his plate off to the side before draping his arm around Mary-Lynnette's shoulders. _I think you're probably right._

Internally buzzing because of his praise, any further trains of thought were interrupted when Thierry and Hannah took a seat together on the one remaining loveseat. After organizing his plate and cup around him, Thierry looked at Ash. "Well?" he asked. "How did things go last night?"

At first feeling slightly cornered at the request to debrief in public, Ash saw that it was only the innermost soulmate couples in the room and felt himself relax. Mary-Lynnette moved a little closer, her good intentions sending soothing vibes towards him.

"It was all right," he informed Thierry, raising his right hand slightly to play with the ends of Mary-Lynnette's hair. "I didn't sense anything suspicious at the club, although she had a huge group of 'wolves with her."

Mary-Lynnette moved as if to speak, but then realized that this was Ash's report. Still, the action caught his attention and he asked, "What's up?"

"Well ..." she hesitated.

Hannah smiled, waving aside Mary-Lynnette's reservations. "Go ahead Mary-Lynnette. If you saw something, it could be helpful."

"Okay ... I was just going to say that only about half of Reina's guards stayed inside of the building. A lot of the other ones went out through some side exit doors. I think they may have been checking out things from the roof."

Thierry gazed at Mary-Lynnette with a level look before giving her a small smile. "Very interesting," he commented. "We'll make a note of that in the mission write-up." Turning back to Ash, he prompted, "And Ms. Muñoz? Was she accommodating?"

Wincing at Thierry's choice of words, Ash was glad to see Hannah elbow her soulmate in the side. Coughing to cover up his embarrassment, the Nightworld Lord amended, "I mean, did she have the information that we wanted?"

Ash answered, "The procedure went normally, no complications. She actually came up to me first, so it was easier than it could've been."

"Reina Muñoz _went up_ to you?" Poppy questioned, her eyebrows arched in surprise. "Really?"

Ash shrugged, "Yeah. Is that weird?"

Poppy looked thoughtful. "James and I met some of the family when we were on assignment in Spain a few months ago. They're a pretty snotty bunch, so that doesn't really sound like them."

"Maybe she liked my animal magnetism," Ash joked. When the room's occupants only blinked at him, he raised his hands and remarked, "I don't know, Poppy. It was just the way things went."

Clearing his throat, Thierry prodded, "Ash, what about her information? Did she know anything that can be of help to us?"

Turning back to the leader, Ash answered, "Well, I think we may have overestimated her as far as information goes."

"What do you mean?" This was from Rashel.

"She just got back from touring through Greece, and although her memories had a lot in them about her researching Nightworld history, I didn't see much else," Ash said.

"Did her memories feel whole to you?" Thea asked.

_Whole? _Mary-Lynnette wondered.

_As opposed to fragmented – like how memories can be after some are erased_, Ash explained.

"No, everything felt pretty solid," he said.

"What kinds of research did she do?" Eric inquired. "Was she successful in at least that much?"

Ash closed his eyes and thought back to the way Reina's memories had felt: fiery, determined, and very complicated. Tossing away the ones about feeding, partying, or sleeping, he narrowed his focus to the hours she'd spent in the library. "She was looking for information about the different stages of the Nightworld – the times when different families ruled. She seemed really fixed on the transition periods between the rising and falling of different races."

"That seems random," Rashel commented.

"It _felt_ random," Ash replied. "That is, it felt random to Reina. The more I think about it, the less I'm sure _she_ knew why she was there."

Hannah leaned forward slightly. "What do you mean?"

"She was agitated while she was working," he recalled. "She ... didn't like being left in the dark about something, and she was upset that she had to work the way Hunter wanted her to."

"She didn't have anything to go on?" Quinn asked.

Ash furrowed his brow, trying to think. "Wait ... there was something ... some kind of phrase or _clue._" He mouthed words to himself before offering, "Something from a forgotten kingdom, or a land of forgotten kings." He opened his eyes and added, "Her memories had both of those ideas. I guess she was looking at past Nightworld leaders – it must have had something to do with the prophecy."

Something had been tugging at the back of Mary-Lynnette's brain – something about fragmented memories. Ash's comments helped her make the connection.

"Ash," she said slowly, "Do you think Reina may not have been told everything? Maybe Hunter already has some grasp of what's going to happen, and he just gave her a part of it to work on. It's sort of like how magicians have different people work on separate pieces of their equipment so nobody else understands how the whole trick works."

The room was silent for a few moments as the Daybreakers thought over the implications of what Mary-Lynnette was suggesting.

"If that's true ..." Hannah began.

"Then it would seem Hunter is ahead of us, and already networking his spies for maximum protection," Thierry concluded. "That also means that he's going to great pains to keep the other members of the Council out of the loop until the meeting. I thought he was keeping information from me ... this just confirms it."

"So what do we do?" James asked.

Thierry shrugged. "If there aren't any spies that know everything, then we'll have to try to find as many of them as we can so we can start building a bigger picture."

A collective groan went up around the room. There wasn't a single member of the Circle that hadn't been running around on dozens of missions over the past few months, and no one was in the mood for the enormity of the proposed project.

"More covert operations in strange languages," Poppy lamented.

"Don't forget about all the phone tapping, the bribing, and email spamming," Thea pointed out.

Quinn couldn't help but add: "Or the strange clothing, stranger accommodations, and unreliable contacts."

"I think your plan is being vetoed," Hannah noted dryly, leaning against Thierry and giving him a gentle smile.

Mary-Lynnette saw Thierry's Wall of Discipline break for the first time as he leaned back against the couch, putting his arm around Hannah. "It's been a long few months, hasn't it?"

Ash muttered, "You mean a long _year_. We've been spying on everybody and their mother since last September."

James tossed his cousin an amused look, "That's an exaggeration."

Ash shrugged, "If you say so, man. I just know that I, for one, am out for the time being. You guys promised me a vacation and I'm taking it."

With everybody in the room already familiar with Ash's "overworked-underpaid-never fed" rant, just about everyone in the room rolled their eyes. Smiling lightly, Thierry waved his hand, calling attention back to him. "I see your point," he said. After a few quiet seconds, he offered: "Okay, how about this? Nothing is going to heat up until the summer council session – by then, it's very likely that if things go badly enough, Circle Daybreak will be able to come out of the woodwork and make a legitimate and public stand against the Nightworld. For the next few weeks, then, why don't you all take a break and try to relax?"

The entire room sighed with relief.

His dark eyes twinkling slightly with amusement, Thierry continued, "We'll just keep analyzing the information we already have and I'll let our administrative agents take over for the time being. Half of the battle is in being organized well."

"The vacation idea includes you, too, Thierry," Thea said, gazing steadily at the vampire. "You've been stressed out more than the rest of us combined, and if things go as badly as we think they will, we're _all_ going to need to be ready to move quickly once fall comes." Glancing at the Lord's soulmate, she added, "You and Hannah should go somewhere nice."

Hannah blushed lightly, "It's really not that big of a deal," she said. "It's wonderful being able to relax here."

Thierry seemed taken with the idea, though, glancing at the blonde girl with affection clearly discernable on his face. Hannah returned his look, and Mary-Lynnette wondered if perhaps they too had a psychic link. She made a mental note to ask Hannah about it after the meeting.

"Well, we'll think about it," Hannah said. "In the meantime, go out and try to enjoy yourselves. We'll stay in touch and let you know if we need any of you to come back."

Feeling the general sense that they were dismissed, people began to stand and collect their dishes. Mary-Lynnette heard Poppy invite Thea and Eric to play laser tag, but the couple declined, saying that they had to go to work.

"They work regular jobs?" she asked Ash as they walked to a back table where the empty dishes were piling up.

"At a vet's office," he said. "Thea and Eric both have a weird connection with animals – they're both —"

"Going into pre-vet in the fall," Mary-Lynnette finished. "She told me about it yesterday. That's really neat."

Before Ash could comment, Poppy came up to them followed by a slightly irate-looking James. Seeing the tall boy's scowl, Mary-Lynnette couldn't help but ask, "Uh, is everything okay?"

Poppy glanced at James, amusement evident in her green eyes. "It's nothing," she assured the human girl. "Jamie's just mad because Quinn got out of weapons duty, and now both him _and_ Rashel are coming along."

"Wouldn't it be more fun with more people?"

James grumbled, "No it would not. Pureblooded Redferns cheat. They can't be trusted." Giving Mary-Lynnette a knowing look, he added, "You better remember that when you're out with my cousin."

Ash smirked. "Cheating is just another form of creative strategy. You _watered down_ Redferns suffer from a lack of inspiration."

Interrupting the ego contest once again, Poppy turned to Mary-Lynnette and offered, "We have extra room in the car if the two of you want to come, too."

Mary-Lynnette blinked. "You want us ... to come and play laser tag?"

Poppy grinned. "Why not? It's great training in a low-contact atmosphere. Besides, maybe you'll help to keep the peace between our respective soulmates. Modern vampires are crazy possessive – comes from not being able to physically mark their own territories."

Snorting, Mary-Lynnette couldn't quite get that image out of her mind.

_Very funny_, Ash thought to her, the sneer evident in his mental voice.

Getting a hold of herself, she turned to her soulmate and asked, "Well, do you want to go with them?"

Ash ran his hand through his hair. "I actually thought you and I could go camping tonight. I know a place a little less than a hundred miles south of here that's great for stargazing. If we want to go, though, we should leave soon so we'll have time to set up our stuff."

Poppy and James exchanged a knowing look. "Oh ... _stargazing_," Poppy remarked with a knowing smile. "I see. Well," she said, clearing her throat, "Don't let us keep you. We'll just see you when you get back."

The vampire pair retreated to the other side of the room before Mary-Lynnette could respond to Ash's suggestion or Poppy's teasing, leaving her somewhat bewildered.

"So ..." Ash said. "Are you up for it?"

An image briefly flashed through Mary-Lynnette's mind of the bright lights and loud noises of the strip, as well as of the smoky atmosphere of the Black Iris. She then recalled the way the desert had looked on their drive in – calm, rugged, full of privacy, humming with life, and surrounded by endless sky.

_I think I've had enough of the city for now_, she decided.

Turning to Ash, she asked: "When do you want to leave?"

* * *

It was around 7:30 in the evening when the couple neared the observation site. As they turned off the exit towards Cima, Ash downshifted, pleased when he heard the gears of the jeep accommodate him without complaint. Although he had been loath to give up his convertible for the trip, he knew that the jeep was more practical for off-road travel and camping, especially since it had enough room in the back if they decided to forgo sleeping outside. 

Looking out the window as they left I-15 to bumpily make their way down a dirt road, Mary-Lynnette couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure it's legal to camp in this place? It's so deserted out here, it almost looks protected by the government."

Ash glanced at her briefly. "It is, sort of. Thierry owns most of it, and he makes a big deal about keeping developers away."

"Why did he buy it?"

Ash pointed out her window to what looked like a series of caves. "See those? They're old mines from the 1800's. They're all abandoned now, but Thierry used to operate them. It's one of the places he got his money from."

Although she knew very well that Thierry was thousands of years old, it was still somewhat disconcerting to see physical evidence of his mind-numbing lifespan. "Didn't anybody wonder why the owner of the mines never died?"

Snorting at her, Ash shifted again as he turned off the road, eventually parking the car near a large hill that was made up of a montage of rocks. "Thierry's pretty good about making his various aliases die at appropriate ages," Ash remarked, turning off the car. "I guess it's something he's used to."

Mary-Lynnette nodded to him and opened the door, stepping out of the car and stretching to loosen up her neck and shoulder muscles. She walked around the foot of the hill to exercise her legs a little, examining the location's potential as a campsite.

"It doesn't have a lot of things for us to use," she remarked, pulling her long, brown hair up off the back of her neck. "We're lucky we brought extra stuff with us to make up for not having it out here."

Ash came up behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Yeah, the further away you get from Vegas, the harder the ground is – not so great for water sources. Besides, most of the natural water in Nevada is pretty contaminated, so it's just easier to bring all of your own gear."

"What about you?" she asked, turning to face him and enjoying the slight pink haze that formed when he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Are there enough things to hunt here?"

Ash lifted his shoulders slightly. "There's enough if I want to make the effort. I brought a cooler with me, though, so I'll be fine. It's only a night trip, after all."

Mary-Lynnette nodded, noticing the outline of the tent still in the back of the jeep. "Should we set stuff up?" she asked.

Reluctant to let her go, but knowing that she was right in getting their area organized as soon as possible, Ash opened the back of the car. Pulling out the tent, a number of blankets, sleeping bags, coolers, and a portable stove, he piled them next to the jeep before turning back to his soulmate. "The ground's pretty hard," he said as he kneeled down to sort through the equipment, "so I brought titanium stakes. With my strength, we should be able to secure the tent."

Mary-Lynnette watched him with fascination as he started to unbundle the tent. Ash pulled out the poles and stakes before finally looking up at her. "What?" he asked.

She kneeled down, moving to help him arrange the poles. "I just didn't expect you do know anything about camping," she admitted. "I figured you'd leave me with all the setup while you went to scout or something."

Ash gave her a shrewd look. "Secret agent," he reminded her. "I've had training for all sorts of conditions."

"But you work in clubs," she pointed out, beginning to assemble the poles.

Ash was thoughtful for a few seconds before he revealed to her, "I started to go camping last winter. Sometimes, when lessons got to be really intense or when I had really tough nights at the Iris, I liked to come out here and ... watch the stars." His voice was only just audible as he added, "It reminded me of you."

Feeling her cheeks flush with pleasure, Mary-Lynnette reminded him, "I guess it just reinforced it, then."

"Reinforced what?"

She smiled, nudging him teasingly. "That we were looking at the same sky."

* * *

"Okay, I see it," Ash said, his eyes finding the line of stars that Mary-Lynnette was pointing at. 

Wiping off some of the melted chocolate-marshmallow mixture on her pants, Mary-Lynnette cleared her throat. "Keep following it south," she instructed. "I think you should eventually be able to see a pretty bright star – it's called Sirius." She watched Ash in fascination as his pupils grew larger and larger while his eyes traced the sky. "Do you see it?"

After a few seconds, Ash nodded. "I see it, but I still don't see how this all makes a dog-shape."

Leaning over to the campfire, Mary-Lynnette quickly built another smore before turning back to Ash. "Think of that star as being a jewel on his collar. Then pull back a little with that star as your starting point."

Ash grumbled, "This is worse than those 'Magic Eye' pictures. I can never see those."

She grinned, handing him the freshly made dessert. "Careful, it's hot," she cautioned. Scooting next to him, she pulled out a plain graham cracker to munch on. Looking up at the sky and easily picking out the pattern, she said "It gets easier the more that you do it."

"Uh-huh," he answered, still trying to untangle images from the hundreds of lights in the nighttime sky. After a few more minutes, his face broke into a satisfied smile. "I found it," he declared, leaning back and moving his attention to the smore. Shaking his head to adjust his eyesight, he turned to Mary-Lynnette with a wry expression. "That's almost more trouble than it's worth."

She sniffed and turned away from him slightly. "I'm glad you think so highly of my future profession."

Ash reached over and poked her in the side. "Don't be like that. I think astronomy is really interesting. I actually know a little about the stories behind the constellations ... I just can't actually _see_ them."

"Oh, yeah?" She turned back to face him, regarding his face seriously. "Well, then don't let me stop you. Do tell me all you know of Mirzam, Adhara, and Aludra."

Ash blinked. "Who, who, and what?"

Now it was Mary-Lynnette's turn to look smug. "The stars that make up Canis Major." Pausing for effect, she gently elaborated, "The big dog you were looking for."

"The big dog I _found_," he corrected.

"That's not the issue," she pointed out.

"But it's an important detail," he stressed.

She threw the marshmallow bag at him. "Ash ..."

"Canis Major," he began, his voice sounding deep and authoritative, "is often thought of as one of Orion's faithful companions, the other one being, of course, Canis Minor." He gave her a shrewd look, "No, I don't know where it is or what stars make it up."

"Procyon A and B," she helpfully supplied.

"Uh, yeah. A _and _B. Anyway, some people think that Canis Major is supposed to be chasing Lepus, the Rabbit constellation, or sometimes he's supposed to be helping Orion with the great bull."

Mary-Lynnette gave a low whistle. "I'm impressed. Any stories about the faithful pup?"

Ash shook his head, "Not a whole lot, really. But they had some beliefs about the major star, uh, Sirius, I guess you called it."

"How can you possibly know mythology about a star that you can't even _name_?"

"I'm talented."

"That's one word for it," she huffed.

Ash gave her an exasperated look, "Can I just get on with it?"

Mary-Lynnette held her hands up in a truce, "Okay, fine, go ahead."

"I guess Sirius begins the Athenian New Year, because a lot of people thought of the star as having two heads – like the Roman God, Janus. Sometimes he was confused with Orthus."

"That sounds familiar," Mary-Lynnette commented. "Wasn't he killed by Hercules?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah, Orthus was a two-headed monster that guarded Geryon's castle, and Hercules had to capture Geryon's cattle as part of his tenth labor. The monster sort of got in his way, so Hercules killed him to get to the cows."

Leaning back on the blanket and tucking her hands behind her head, Mary-Lynnette smiled. "Hercules's labors. Stories of repentance and acceptance. The Greeks had a lot of those."

Ash stretched out next to her, casually draping his hand over her stomach. "I guess they didn't think anybody was too far gone to be saved."

"I'm inclined to agree with them," she confessed. Turning her head so that she could look at Ash, Mary-Lynnette admired the way the light from the fire tossed different shadows on his face. She reached up and brushed back some of his hair with her fingers, looking into his eyes and feeling the soulmate connection hum pleasantly as he started to lean in towards her.

Since Ash was with her, Mary-Lynnette hadn't even considered being nervous that they were out in the middle of the desert by themselves. So solid was her feeling of comfort that her panic was almost overwhelming when she heard an enormous crash, followed by the sound of snarling, yipping, and what she instinctively knew were death howls.

Ash was on his feet in less than a second, his senses stretched out as far as he could cast them, and his body tensed and alert. Mary-Lynnette stood up, staying quiet so that she wouldn't distract him. After a few heart-pounding moments, he cocked his head and softly informed her, "I smell werewolves. Almost a whole pack of them – probably about two or three miles away."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Two or three miles away and we still heard all _that?"_

Almost absently, Ash reminded her, "There isn't much around here to absorb the sound."

"Oh, right," she said. Feeling that he was still distracted, she projected to him, _Now what?_

He was silent for another few seconds before making his decision. Gently pushing her back towards the fire, he said, "Stay here – I'm going to go check it out. Something's going on out there, and I want to make sure that we're safe."

Everything inside of Mary-Lynnette rejected the idea of Ash going off on his own. "Ash, wait. You might need my help."

Tugging on his sneakers, he shook his head, "I'll be fine. It's just scouting the area – I can move faster without you."

Feeling an urgent need that he not go out alone, she grabbed her shoes as well. "I'm coming with you," she stubbornly maintained. "You don't what's out there, and it'd be better to have two eyes."

Ash shook his head again. "No way. This isn't like the club – you'll be safer by the fire."

Opening her mouth to protest again, Mary-Lynnette was stunned when Ash turned to face her, his eyes almost completely silver in the firelight and the tips of his fangs exposed.

His voice was firm and quiet when he told her: "This isn't negotiable, Mary-Lynnette. Stay by the fire."

Pushing aside her anger, she reached for him through their connection, and she felt the one thing she'd overlooked in her haste: his fear. Deep down, Ash was terrified that there was something around the camp that would hurt her, and he was torn between leaving her next to the fire and keeping her with him.

But in the end, he knew the fire would protect her from the werewolves almost better than he could.

Taking a deep breath, she felt her annoyance recede and the world turned a little less pink. Nodding her agreement, she reached up to kiss him gently, feeling the tips of his fangs on her lips. "Be careful," she warned.

Nodding, he walked into the night.

* * *

Checking her watch, Mary-Lynnette saw that it was nearing moonrise and she knew that the nighttime observation would be over once the extra light blocked out the stars. Figuring she might as well be helpful while Ash was gone, she began to gather up the empty containers from dinner.

She was in the middle of arranging the silverware when she sensed that Ash had returned. Tilting her head up to look at him, she was relieved to see that he looked slightly rumpled but was otherwise unhurt.

"Did you find anything?" she asked, zipping up some leftover bags and walking over to the jeep to toss them in the back.

Sitting down on top of the blanket spread outside of their tent, Ash gave a little yawn before answering, "No, it looks clear. I can't exactly tell what happened, but I think a pack must've been on a run when some of the members got into a fight."

"Just like actual wolf packs?"

Ash nodded, grabbing her hand as she walked past him and tugging her down to the ground next to him. "Yeah, a lot like wolf packs. I smelled blood and torn flesh, but the wind carried the scents everywhere, so it was hard to get a feel for what went wrong. Nothing seems to be around us anymore, though, so I don't think we have to worry."

"So we're safe and alone for the time being," she articulated, beginning to note with interest how mussed Ash's hair had become during his run and how his t-shirt was clinging to his back and stomach.

"Pretty much," he assured her. Glancing at the now moon-filled sky, he suggested, "Well, since stargazing is out, do you want to go inside the tent and read for awhile?"

Remembering his previous use of the term, she couldn't help but ask, "Is that our code word, now?"

He blinked. "Uh, code word?"

Mary-Lynnette couldn't help but grin. "You know, the word that means you don't actually want to read but you don't want to be ... demanding."

Ash kept blinking for a few seconds before finally having the grace to blush. "Oh," he said. "I gotcha. Um, reading, _yeah_." Glancing at the sky and then the tent, he innocently offered, "Well, there really isn't much to see out _here_. It only makes sense that we go _inside_."

Feeling comfortable with the teasing, and just a little more confident in general, Mary-Lynnette unzipped the tent and crawled inside. Before Ash could follow her, though, she remarked, "First, bank the fire. After that, I have a personal book or two you might be interested in."

* * *

Ash opened his eyes in the early dawn hours and immediately made a number of observations. 

The first was that Mary-Lynnette had once again stolen the covers, although she was curled up next to him so it was definitely an improvement over the previous morning.

The second was that they had only been asleep for four hours or so. This was a reason to be cranky – which he certainly was.

The third was that there was a pawing, shuffling sound coming from outside of their tent and the entire area reeked of werewolf.

Remembering the commotion from the night before, Ash was thankful that Mary-Lynnette had taken control of the sleeping bags as it gave him the freedom to move and protect her. Quickly grabbing a shirt and tugging it on along with his jeans, he positioned his body between the doorway and Mary-Lynnette, reaching into his bag to pull out a long, wicked looking silver dagger. He carefully unzipped the tent and peered outside.

And nearly had a heart attack when a small pair of blue eyes peered right back at him.

"What the _hell_?"

The muffled thump and string of expletives was enough to awaken Mary-Lynnette, who was more than a little disoriented.

"Ash?" she asked, sitting up and glancing around uncertainly. "What's wrong?"

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe, _karma_?"

Pushing her hair out of her eyes, she squinted in his general direction, trying to make out what was going on. "What are you talking about?"

"Karmic justice is the only explanation for this," Ash told her, sitting up with some difficulty.

Finally getting complete control over her eyesight, Mary-Lynnette finally saw what was sitting on top of Ash, and she felt her throat catch with surprise. "Oh, wow."

Perched on top of Ash's chest was a small ball of brown and black fuzz, the top of which was currently investigating his shirt collar and giving his chin and throat small licks.

"Is that ..." Mary-Lynnette started to ask, almost not daring to believe what it appeared to be.

Ash covered his face with his hands, trying to protect himself from the pup. "Werewolves," he lamented. "_Why is it always werewolves?"_

* * *

Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce you to our "unexpected guest."

Gotta love werewolf puppies – the are _so many_ things I could do with this. . Rest assured, you'll see some of the consequences in about two weeks or so.

Now, regarding reviews, here are my responses to the ones from the last chapter. Thank-you all so much for letting me know your thoughts – I feel so loved!

Pyrope:blushes: Those are such nice compliments. And, yes, I know how you feel. The more that I write this story, the more I wish I were Mary-Lynnette. She's probably one of the characters I identify with the most, though that's probably me being on the hopeful side!

crystleflys: I felt pretty good about the chapters, but I was still unsure of how you guys would react to some of the liberties I took. I'm so glad you liked it! I do agree that part of getting their relationship up and running is establishing solid trust between the two of them.

tanya: I love using symbols and images with Ash. You'll definitely see more of them as the story progresses.

laura:chuckles: Just a brief break from the Ashness – er, at least, that was the plan. :grin: I'm really happy that you're enjoying the different dynamics of the story. I'm trying really hard to make it realistic, so I like to toss in random funny moments (the shirt) as well as their bigger problems, which they certainly have! It's wonderful to know that you approve.

Hananiah: Perfectly balanced? That's so nice of you to say. Soulmate bonds most certainly have the potential to be fanciful and hokey – I'm glad that you feel my story is a realistic representation. I hope you continue to enjoy it!

incarnated-soul: I have no idea what L.J. Smith would think of my story . Yes! You gave me validation on my interpretation of Thierry! He's a little difficult for me to write. This may be because he's more private than Ash is, and I think he's currently enjoying his time with Hannah and doesn't want inquisitive authors hanging around ;)

Thanks for the review!

Ria: Oh, I like the bluntness! It made me laugh out loud and it was great incentive to get back to the computer. I took some liberties with Ash's work for Circle Daybreak and some of his clothing, but I think it turned out well – you seem to have enjoyed it, so that makes me happy!

Aglaia di Willow: LoL! Your review had me rolling. It wasn't just your computer that was having some issues with Chapter I.10 – I also had some problems seeing the story for a couple of days. I'm sorry it was such a pain to get to, but I'm extremely pleased that you liked it once you were able to read it! I'm also happy that you approve of me making these two work through their issues. It's definitely a delicate balance between having just enough angst so that the characters grow and having too much that drags the story down. I'm also coming to realize how beautiful the relationship is between Ash and Mary-Lynnette – it's sort of haunting, and ethereal. We'll see what else is revealed with more time! Thank-you so much for your comments!

SpiritofEowyn: Ermph :blushes: Yes, that would've been helpful to point out during the scene. I went ahead and tried to clear that up in this chapter so you could put your fears to rest – he _did _stop drinking right after he made contact with her mind. Sorry about the confusion!

fate22:grins: The "Do you like bread" line is actually something I snatched from comedian Eddie Izzard. He has this whole arc about when you're young and hormonal, you're also at the most awkward point in your life – the best kinds of pickup lines you can come up with are things like "Do you like ... bread?" or "I have legs!" I couldn't resist slipping it into the story. Awesome work on your own story, by the way. I'm not sure if there are echoes of it in here or not, but if you notice something, let me know and I'll give you full credit on my next update.

sarah: Your favorite Mary-Lynnette and Ash fic:bighappygrin: Really? That's so wonderful of you to say! I'm honestly flattered, and I really hope I can keep the chapters and story up to your expectations! Thank-you so much for your compliments!

castra: You guys are so cool. I can't tell you how thrilled I am that you like this story so much. This pairing is also my favorite from the series (I'm still not sure what it is about these two that inspires such devotion) and I'm trying to be as careful as possible with their personalities. Your review was so inspiring – thank-you for submitting it.

shatteredimmortality: Ah, you've noticed our young friend from the club. Very perceptive of you . Keep your eyes open, and I think your questions shall be answered. And this last chapter should've cleared up your concerns about our third wheel. Sort of unexpected, no? Although I will say, that there is a distinct possibility that a fourth wheel will be added, but that remains to be seen. As always, your comments are validating and inspiring

laura (lauradoone19): The posting-regularly thing is the most difficult part of my life, but I'm trying very hard to keep it up. It's also wonderful to know that you like all of the sides of the story – the angst, the humor, and the fluff. I'm not sure if it's how L.J. Smith would've written it :blushes: But I'm extremely flattered that you think so!

Lunatic: Your review totally made my day – your compliments are always so thoughtful and rewarding. It's also _really_ nice to know that you liked the more emotionally-driven pieces; I confess that I was the most uncertain about those parts. Still, it seems to have worked out and I hope you enjoyed this last chapter!

amber-rules: LoL! No, I'm not. .

Yav aka Shibs: Oh, Mary-Lynnette and Ash will always have _something_ to argue about. Right now, I'm trying to give them some down time so that they can work out the real issues between them. Once things are somewhat stable, they'll be able to argue once again, only this time without the insecurity behind it. Your review was extremely gratifying, and I'm so happy you went to read my other one, as well! I hope you continue to enjoy my stories.

happy accident:chuckles: Don't be jealous of the talent! It's finicky, tyrannical, and very inconsistent. It leaves me for days at a time, and I'm forced to contemplate a career as a stunt double without hope of ever writing again. . Seriously, though, your comments were wonderful (and extremely amusing!) to receive. They also gave me a much-needed push to get myself in gear for this last chapter. I'm so glad that you're enjoying the characters and I'm _really_ pleased that you feel as you understand them more – that's very much the point of this entire project. Thank-you so much for your kind words.


	12. Chapter II2

Yes, yes, I know it's taken an unforgivably long time for me to update this story. In all honesty, I had no idea that the fall semester would turn out the way that it did, and it's been a real challenge to get to the computer. Still, I finally managed to get this chapter out, and I'm fairly pleased overall. I hope you guys enjoy it, and that it's a welcome relief from months of silence.

Happy New Year!

P.S. By the way, I took some liberties here regarding werewolf development. If anybody has any corrections or suggestions, just let me know.

_**

* * *

For a Knight's Lady **_

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Thea squinted her eyes, turning her head to the side as she gazed intently at the cub. Eric, who was gently holding the pup in place on the examining table, watched her with a similar intensity. After a few moments, she looked up and turned to Mary-Lynnette.

"There's no doubt about it," she declared. "It's definitely a werewolf – and a young one, too. My guess is probably no more than seven weeks old."

Mary-Lynnette looked at Ash. "How old is he in his human form? Is it any different?"

Ash shrugged, pushing his lanky frame away from the closed door and walking up to the table. "The forms age differently," he answered her, shaking his head when the pup twisted its neck around to gaze at him. Gently running his fingers over its ears he added, "It's sort of hard to correlate the two shapes."

"Still," Thea supplied, "it doesn't mean that we can't make a pretty good estimate. I'd say although he's only been alive for six weeks or so, in his human form he's developed up to a year."

Mary-Lynnette was surprised. "That old?" she asked. "That's amazing. I can't believe his body would grow so quickly."

"In the wild, regular wolves have to grow quickly," Eric informed her, shifting the pup slightly so that Thea could have access to its paws. "It gives them optimum defense against any threats, and it lets them learn better. The same natural law applies to werewolves, but more so."

"But wolves have natural predators," Mary-Lynnette pointed out. "Such as other packs, carnivores, or humans. What do werewolves have to fear?"

There was an uncomfortable silence before Ash answered. "Some of the same ones as regular wolves, but also, werewolves aren't exactly the most respected species within the Nightworld. There's a lot of day-to-day racism that they have to put up with, not to mention the long history of vampires and witches hunting them for their blood and body parts. It's not surprising that nature compensates it all with rapid growth."

Before Mary-Lynnette could finish recoiling, Thea tossed out in a somewhat distracted voice: "Also, werewolves are also usually caught and burned at the stake by humans whenever they find one. It doesn't happen very often, but it _is_ a threat."

"Humans don't do so well whenever they meet members of the Nightworld." Eric gave Mary-Lynnette a small smile when he saw her face flush slightly. "And I'm not just talking about surprised soulmate halves – man has a long, bloody war going on with different clans. It may not be something everyone is aware of, but society is filled with fear and hatred of vampires, witches, and shifters." Making sure that Thea had a grip on the pup, he moved over to a large sink on the far side of the room and began to fill it with warm water. "Each species of the Nightworld has some means of defense, but it's not full-proof."

"And as the peace-keeping organization, Circle Daybreak deals with a lot of refugees from towns where things go wrong," Thea added.

"Go wrong?" Mary-Lynnette echoed, looking at the pup intently. Kneeling down in front of the examination table, she put her hand out so that he could sniff it. "Is that what happened to you last night, little guy? Did you get caught up in a fight?" Looking up at Ash, she wondered out loud, "Maybe that's why he's still in his werewolf form – he's afraid of humans, so he's keeping his guard up."

Respect lighting in her eyes, Thea agreed: "Probably." Picking up the pup by the scruff of the neck, she cradled him gently as she moved to the sink, sending calming energy through him so that the bath water didn't shock him. "Fear and wariness of humans is something that all Nightpeople are raised to know. For the older members, there are laws and penalties that govern interactions with humans. In the case of the young, like this pup, all he has is his instinct and what his parents were able to communicate to him." Gently going over his fur with some mild soap, she continued, "I don't think he'll stay like this for long, though. After he finds somebody to bond with, he'll relax and we'll be able to see both of his forms."

Before Mary-Lynnette could ask what Thea meant, Eric snorted and glanced at Ash. "That shouldn't take too long," he predicted, crouching down to get a towel from one of the cabinets.

Ash bristled. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Thea tucked her tongue inside of her cheek, trying to hold back a smile. Focusing on rinsing off the pup as if it were the most delicate of tasks, she chose her words carefully. "We-ll, it's like this. When pups are left alone, for whatever reason, and _especially_ if they've lost all the members of their pack –"

"Thea," Ash huffed. "Will you get on with it?"

Gently bundling the pup into the towel that Eric had stretched out for him, she hurriedly finished: "It's not unusual for them to seek out the strongest male in the area and try to, er ..."

"Become part of his pack?" Mary-Lynnette suggested.

"Oh, um, hmmmm," Thea said, rubbing the towel over the cub's fur. "Yes, something like that." Her brown eyes darted over to Eric, and then narrowed when she saw him stifling his amusement. "Now stop that," she scolded. "We don't know for sure if he'll bond with Ash. It's just a possibility."

Eric just shook his head, unable to hold back his grin. Following his gaze, both Thea and Mary-Lynnette had to quickly cover their mouths to keep from laughing.

Although the pup was still mostly wrapped up in the towel, it was easy enough to see that he'd wiggled one side of his face out from under it, and that his eye was completely fixated on Ash.

Crossing his arms and scowling at the werewolf, Ash grumbled, "What're _you_ looking at?"

"Well, looks like he found his alpha male," Eric remarked.

"Not a chance. No. I won't," Ash protested. When Mary-Lynnette gave him an incredulous look, he reaffirmed, "We have people here to look after him. There's no way I'm playing foster father to a mutt."

Wincing as she pulled off the towel to check the pup over one last time for fleas or ticks, Thea reminded Ash, "Nobody said you had to. We can probably find somebody else that he can imprint until we figure out what to do with him."

Relieved, Ash felt safe enough to venture forward and pat the wolf on the head. "Not that you're not cute," he told it, running his fingers underneath its chin, "But we'd never get along. I'd want to play video games in the evening; you'd want to chase cars. I'd want to go out for deer, and you'd want to chew on bones. It would never work."

Delighted that the big-blonde-male-leader was talking to him, the pup wagged his tail and gave him a little yip – just to let him know that he was paying attention, even if the vampire wasn't using pack-speak. And then, just to make sure that the leader knew that _he_ knew his place as the pup, he reached up and nuzzled Ash on the chin.

Ash jumped back and looked at his soulmate with a helpless, offended air. "Mary-Lynnette," he whined.

She shook her head. "I don't have any advice for you, Romeo. Your animal magnetism is beyond me."

Before he could reply, the house intercom wheezed to life and Thierry's voice poured into the room. "Thea? Is Ash still with you?"

"I'm here," Ash answered. "What's up?"

There was a slight pause before Thierry patiently replied, "You came into Circle Daybreak with an orphaned werewolf pup and have yet to report to me to let me know what's going on ... and you ask what's up?"

Ash winced. "Okay, Fearless Leader. I'll be right there." After the speaker clicked off, Ash reached over and gave Mary-Lynnette a kiss. "After you settle things here, meet me back up in my room," he said. "We can figure out what we want to do from here." Glancing at the cub, he shuddered, "And Rover's _not_ coming with us."

The other teens in the room didn't do much more than shake their heads as Ash left the room. To Mary-Lynnette's surprise, he hadn't been gone more than a second before the pup began to whimper. Not looking overly concerned, Thea motioned for her to come closer. "Here," she instructed, placing the pup into her arms. "Hold him sort of like you'd hold a human baby. His back is more limber than a regular wolf's, so it's pretty comfortable for him."

Although Mary-Lynnette was human, and by no means the pup's new alpha, she was more familiar to him than anyone else in the room and after a few minutes he quieted down, blinking sleepy violet eyes at her. She couldn't help but smile at him, and then blushed when she looked up to see Thea and Eric watching her with interest.

"What?" she asked.

Thea grinned. "You look domestic. It's cute."

Not really prepared to answer that one way or the other, Mary-Lynnette noticed jars of unusual looking baby food and suggested, "Why don't you let me know what I can do to help keep this guy fed?"

* * *

"Well, well," Thierry commented as Ash walked into his office. "I think we may upgrade your status to Director of Lost Werewolf Operations. You've found, what, at least two in the past year or so?" 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ash replied, taking a seat in front of Thierry's desk. "What was that I saw jumping out the window when I came in? Was that, _your personality_?"

Thierry chuckled. "So you're saying you're _not_ a dog person?"

Ash grumbled to himself before changing the subject. "So what're you doing here, anyway? I thought you and Hannah were supposed to be off on a world tour or something."

"We're leaving for Hawaii tomorrow," he informed Ash. "She wanted an extra day to pack." He shrugged in confusion, "I don't understand why she needs so much time, but it seemed really important."

Ash gave him a sympathetic look. "Mary-Lynnette did the same thing to me before we left Oregon. I think that the time it takes a woman to pack is proportional to how complicated her clothing is."

Thierry blinked several times before turning a slight shade of red. "Oh, well, I wouldn't know anything about that."

Ash arched his eyebrow. "Oh, _really?_"

Thierry was silent.

"Nothing at _all_?" Ash prodded.

Thierry glared at him. "That's a private matter between Hannah and myself."

Holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender, Ash smirked. "Okay, okay, I'll back off. So, what do you want to know about Spot?"

Thierry furrowed his brow before leaning forward. Ash noticed that he had a file folder in front of him. "I just have some questions. First of all, how did you find him?"

Ash related the story about the previous evening, and included an account of the dogfight that he and Mary-Lynnette had heard. Thierry listened carefully, nodding here and there. When Ash had finished, the elder asked, "Do we know if the cub's a full werewolf?"

Arching his eyebrows in surprise, Ash replied, "We didn't even think of that. You could probably ask Thea to run some blood tests to see. Werewolves are already so much like humans that it's almost impossible to identify a hybrid any other way."

Thierry seemed thoughtful. "I'll make sure she does that. How old is he?"

"Thea said around seven weeks or so."

"Any strange marks on him?"

Ash shook his head. "None that we could tell right now – we'll have a better idea once he transforms into his human shape."

Thierry was quiet for a moment before inquiring: "You said you found him out by the mines, right?"

Unable to keep his curiosity at bay any longer, Ash replied, "Yeah, that's right. Hey, Thierry, what's going on here?"

The older vampire seemed to be deliberating about something, but ultimately came to some sort of decision. He cleared his throat, and Ash sat back, preparing himself for an explanation.

"After I closed down the mines in the late 1800's, a tribe of werewolves asked me if they could use the property to build their den and lodgings. Since the land was just sitting there, I had no problem with them using it. They're usually a quiet group, but I know that recently they've been having political problems within the pack order. I'm wondering how the baby was involved and where its mother is."

"That's not hard to find out, is it? Just send some agents out for recon."

"That's been done, but we won't know anything for another hour or so. Ash," Thierry said, using a tone that caught the young lamia's attention, "if something happened to his pack, we're going to need to find a place for the cub."

Ash was confused. "What about here? We take orphans in all of the time."

Thierry shook his head, "I'm not sure that's a good idea. I have a strange feeling about this, and I don't know if it would be good to keep him near whatever is left of his clan. Besides," he continued, "if the pup _does_ turn out to be a hybrid, then we'll have even more of a reason to keep him far away from his Nightworld connections."

Ash could see where Thierry was going with this. _Oh, no. Not a chance in hell. I am **not** a babysitter._

"We have a foster family in Orono, Maine that's willing to take him."

"I'm not taking the pup to Maine," Ash declared, crossing his arms firmly in front of him. "There's no way you're getting me to take a baby on an airplane."

"You wouldn't be," Thierry assured him. Ash's look of relief was short-lived, however as Thierry clarified: "He's too young to fly – the pressurized air will hurt his ears. You'll drive, instead."

"Yes, because that's _such _an appealing alternative," Ash snapped, slinking down into his chair.

"It'll only take a week at the most," Thierry pointed out reasonably.

"I'm really more of a cat person," Ash protested.

"So we already established."

"My car isn't nearly large enough to accommodate all of the supplies we'd have to take."

"We'll give you another one."

"I wouldn't want to leave Mary-Lynnette here alone."

"She could probably go with you."

"I'm not sure _she_ likes dogs."

"You're just making up excuses, now."

Before launching even more into his "why me?" routine, Ash stopped himself and ran a hand over his face, sighing heavily. Eventually, he asked: "Isn't there anybody else that can do this?"

Giving Ash a knowing look, Thierry said, "The pup's already bonding to you, isn't he?"

Ash rolled his head back, casting his dark green eyes at the ceiling. "Yeah. I think it started when he climbed into the tent." Glancing down at Thierry, he injected a hopeful note into his voice. "Thea said that we could probably get the wolf to bond to somebody else?"

Thierry conceded. "That's true, but it would take some time, and I'm not sure how much we're going to have to work with. Furthermore, I think you'd probably be the best protection for him. You're already well trained in combat, and, what's more, the cub trusts you."

"Thierry, I don't know _anything_ about taking care of babies," Ash pointed out.

Looking triumphant, Thierry retorted: "Even better – you'll watch him extra carefully."

Seeing that the young vampire was still against the idea, Thierry moved to reassure him. "It's only a possibility, Ash. It may be that there was just a slight disturbance in the pack and that the cub wandered off. We'll see what information the agents bring back from the den, and maybe even wait a few days to see if his mother comes to claim him."

"But _if_ the pack disbanded or went crazy, I'm the one who has to play nanny."

"I'd like you to, yes."

Shaking his head in annoyance, Ash drew his lanky frame up from the chair. "I can't believe I'm getting wrapped up in this. I'm just a quiet man, trying to live a quiet life."

Thierry snorted. "You're no more quiet than Quinn is vegan."

Giving the older vampire a sour look, Ash moved to leave. Before exiting the door, though, he turned back to Thierry and commented: "You know, I bet Lassie never gave Timmy this much trouble."

Thierry rolled his eyes. "I'll call you when we know more information."

After Ash left the office, Thierry leaned forward to examine his file, his eyes passing over the photograph of a young woman. "Arianna," he murmured, "What did you get yourself into?"

* * *

Curled up in one of the easy chairs in Ash's living room, Mary-Lynnette was having a difficult time staying awake. The excitement of the cub had done a lot to compensate for her late night and early morning, but now that she'd found a few moments of peace, her body had begun to respond to it in kind.

Yawning, she stretched her legs and tried to focus on the book she'd grabbed off of Ash's shelf. Although she'd read most of the titles that he owned, there were one or two that she was unfamiliar with and this had seemed an opportune time to take a look at them.

"Focus here," she murmured to herself, wiping her bleary, heavy eyes. The weight of _The Iliad _seemed to increase with each passing minute. "There's no reason for you to fall asleep right now. This is a good book. Homer is a classic. You can read this."

Still, classic or not, it was only moments later that Mary-Lynnette succumbed to her sleepiness, turning into the chair with a soft sigh. This was also how Ash found her about half an hour later when he returned from his meeting with Thierry.

Softly closing the door behind him, Ash smiled to see his soulmate stealing an early afternoon nap. When he walked up to the chair, he wasn't surprised to see his old copy of the epic. Kneeling down in front of the chair, he moved the book to the floor and took her hands in his own, kissing them gently. When her blue eyes opened to him a few seconds later, he couldn't help but grin.

"It's okay," Ash reassured her as she stretched and began to sit up. "The cataloguing of the ships always put me to sleep, too. I think it sounds better in the actual Greek."

Mary-Lynnette chuckled, shifting her clothing a little bit before giving into the urge and running her fingers along Ash's face and through his hair. "I actually didn't get that far," she replied. "Achilles's temper tantrum was enough to put me out." Yawning, she looked around for a clock. "What time is it, anyway? Did you just get back?"

Sitting cross-legged in front of her, Ash pulled her hands back into his. "It's just a little after one. Thierry let me go a few minutes ago." Ash rolled his eyes. "He keeps forgetting that I'm on vacation and not supposed to be working."

Mary-Lynnette shook her head. "Why do I get the feeling that you have another assignment?"

"Probably because I do. Well, sort of," he answered. Resting his chin on her hands, he quickly filled her in on the events of his meeting. When finished, he concluded: "So, Thierry wants to do some background information on the pup, and if things turn out to be questionable, then he wants us to take it to Maine."

Mary-Lynnette nodded. "I see." Her face looked thoughtful for a moment before it cleared and she smiled at him. "Well, if we have to help the little guy, then that's that. It's the right thing to do."

Ash was only slightly stunned. He would've been more so had she refused to help the cub, but he was still somewhat in awe that she would be so willing to give up her leisure time. "Are you sure?" he asked.

She blinked at him. "Of course I'm sure," she answered. "It's not his fault that he may have become orphaned. Besides, I'd like to help out if I can. It doesn't seem fair if we're soulmates and I don't support this kind of work."

Feeling an overwhelming sensation of love and adoration well up in his chest, Ash couldn't keep himself from reaching up to kiss her, savoring both the surprise and pleasure that he sensed through the chord.

"You know," he whispered to her, his lips running across hers as he spoke, "I had a _horrible_ night's sleep, too."

Blushing faintly, Mary-Lynnette whispered back: "Afternoon naps are good cures for that."

Clearing his throat, he tossed her a devilish-looking smile before picking her up bridal-style and moving towards his bedroom. Just as he set her down, however, the bedside phone rang. Giving her a look that was a mixture of annoyance and frustration, he answered it, his voice sharp with impatience.

"What is it?" he grumbled, sitting next to Mary-Lynnette. Scooting over a little to give him more room, she ran her hand up and down his back, watching his face as it went through several changes of emotion.

"Are you sure it was her?" he asked. Long seconds ticked by before Ash nodded. "Okay. I'll do that."

Another few moments passed before he said: "You're right, this is something I should look into. It's too weird to just ignore."

Concerned, Mary-Lynnette rose to her knees and began to rub Ash's shoulders, working out some of the tension that she felt along his neck. He reached up to pat her hand as he finished up the conversation. "I'll give her a call and see what I can find out. Hopefully this won't be anything serious."

Hanging up the phone, he turned and gave Mary-Lynnette a hug, leaning his forehead against her stomach before exhaling with a deep, drawn out breath.

"This is like some dark comedy," he said.

Mary-Lynnette smiled ruefully. "More work?"

Ash brought his head up and then shifted his body so that he was leaning against the bed frame. Pulling Mary-Lynnette against him, he replied. "I think so. It's really … weird, though. Remember Reina, from the club?"

Her muscles tensing slightly at the memory of the dark-haired beauty, Mary-Lynnette replied, "I remember her."

Not oblivious to his soulmate's discomfort, Ash rested his chin on her head. "That was Lupe, one of our field agents that's been keeping an eye on the Iris over the past few months. I guess Reina's been asking people how to get in contact with me."

Mary-Lynnette arched her eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

Ash shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe it's, what did you say earlier, my 'animal magnetism'?" He ducked as one of her hands came up to swat him.

"Not funny," she declared, before settling back against him in a huff.

He gave her a squeeze, and nuzzled her neck. "Seriously though, I'm not sure what's on her mind - that's why I told Lupe I'd contact her. Considering how high up Reina is with Hunter, I think I should stay on top of this situation."

Determined not to feel overwhelmed with all the evidence of Ash's professional life intruding on their personal time, Mary-Lynnette just sighed. Turning around to look him in the eye, she asked, "Well, can it at least wait until our nap is over?"

Completely captivated by the intensity of her gaze, as well as the insistent tug of the soulmate chord, Ash was already rolling onto his side before she'd completed her thought.

* * *

I didn't go crazy on the plot development, but we should have some nice movement in the next chapter ... and I'm not sure when I'll get that out. It could be as early as next week, or it may be another month or more. As always, I'll try my best. 

And now, a huge thank-you to my readers, all of whom I will be forever grateful to. You guys stick by me through strange plot developments and postponed deadlines, and I adore you for it. I know I usually respond to each of you, but I thought you would probably appreciate having the update sooner instead of having a personal note. Please believe me, though, when I say that I appreciate each of your comments and they're what keep me writing and striving to update.

See you next time!


	13. Chapter II3

An update before Spring Break! Who ever thought it would happen! 

Not I, that's for certain.

So, this chapter. I'll admit up front that some of you may find it a little on the strange side. There's something distinctly "_ewww_" about something Ash has to do near the end. I wasn't terribly fond of writing that part, but there wasn't a way I could avoid it, either. We'll be back to general Ash/Mary-Lynnette/Pup cuteness for the next chapter, though. For this one, there were just a number of things we had to get out on the table for Le Plot (which has not been left behind!).

Enjoy!

* * *

_**For a Knight's Lady**_

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Hunter Redfern leaned back in his chair, the phone cradled between his shoulder and ear. "I have a job for you." 

"Another one? Going to the club wasn't enough?"

Smiling wryly, the vampire made a small note in the file opened in front of him. "You're extremely efficient at collecting information. I need you to do it again."

The voice oozed out of the phone, obviously eager. "With the same person?"

"At this point, yes. I've no doubt that Ash will lead us to the heart of Thierry's betrayal, but I'm still uncertain as to where his own heart lies. Watch him closely; his physical manner will tell us much about what we need to know."

"And what if the human girl shows up again?"

Hunter sighed. "It's true, she may be key to getting the information we want. Observe her as well."

"Of course."

* * *

Mary-Lynnette and Ash were both awoken by a brisk knock on the door. Immediately alert, Ash got up and went to answer it while Mary-Lynnette rolled over, trying to clear her head. Glancing at Ash's alarm clock, she saw that it was a little after four.

_Ugh, _she thought, sitting up slowly. _I guess the recon took longer than they thought it would. _After a moment she heard the door close, and Ash came in looking slightly harrowed.

"What is it?" she asked.

Leaning against the doorframe, Ash crossed his arms in front of his chest. "The team _just_ got back. Things must've been pretty bad – Thierry wants us to meet him in his office."

Nodding in understanding, Mary-Lynnette went to her suitcase and pulled out a pair of flip-flops, slipping into them while dragging a comb through her hair. When she turned back around to face Ash, he was staring intently ahead.

Wanting him to feel her support, she thought to him: _What is it?_

Ash furrowed his brow. _I don't know_, he answered. _I just have ... a really strange feeling about this whole situation. _

_Maybe you're tired? _she suggested.

Sighing, he brought his head up and gave her a half-smile. "Maybe," he replied, holding out his hand to her. "A lot's been happening lately. I'm probably just on edge."

Giving him a wary look as they exited the bedroom, Mary-Lynnette tried to take comfort in his words, but couldn't help sharing his unease.

* * *

"We sent our agents to the old mining territory," Thierry explained, his eyes locked on the reconnaissance report. "They were to patrol the area around your campsite, and then move on to the werewolf den. After their find, however, going to the den wasn't immediately necessary." 

"There's a cave about four miles from where you were camped last night," Hannah informed them, pointing to a map that was opened on top of Thierry's desk. "When the agents investigated it, they found the body of Arianna Rodriguez, the alpha female to the pack on Thierry's land. It looked like she'd been there for about a day or so. Along with her body, the team recovered some of our cub's articles as well as Arianna's suitcase." Looking up at them, she hastened to add: "Arianna was the cub's mother."

"That was _inside_ of the cave," Thierry pressed on, his mouth in a tight line. "Outside, they found the bodies of the rest of the pack. Arianna's mate was among them."

Almost afraid to ask, Ash clarified, "All of them were dead?"

Nodding her head sadly, Hannah answered, "All ten members of the pack. We're not sure why they were killed, but it looks like it was some kind of magical attack."

Thierry looked slightly distraught. "It's a tragedy, but the number could've been higher. Luckily enough, the pack split in half about a year ago, so this was a relatively small slaughter."

Not sure if she could ever get used to the idea of a "small slaughter," Mary-Lynnette changed the subject. "We heard what sounded like a dog fight last night. Was that the pack fighting off the attack?"

Hannah looked uncomfortable. "Well, not exactly," she answered.

Having a feeling that he knew where this was going, Ash concluded: "The pack challenged Arianna."

Thierry looked over to Ash and inclined his head in assent. "Most likely. From her wounds, and traces of her blood on other pack members, it's clear that Arianna's death came from the other werewolves. _Their_ deaths, however, are still unexplained."

Mary-Lynnette was confused. "Wait, what's a pack challenge?"

Hannah winced. "It's way of dispensing justice within werewolf families. Generally, it's not used these days unless the pack is extremely traditional, or the crime is exceptionally heinous. In Arianna's case, since all evidence suggests she was trying to flee the area, it was probably the latter."

"What could she do to bring down such a punishment on herself, though?" Mary-Lynnette asked, trying to deal with a growing sense of shock.

"A number of things," Ash answered. "Mostly stuff like infidelity or treason. Werewolves are really loyal and all about hierarchy. If she stepped outside of her position – especially as the leader's mate, then the punishment would have been ... severe."

Moving the topic forward, Thierry said, "Whatever her crime was, it seems that the pup was spared – both from the challenge, and the second attack. Again, we're still trying to piece together what happened, but at the very least we can say that after the slaughter, the pup found his way to you." Glancing at Ash, he added, "When you went out to scout last night, you probably left a trace that he followed to your camp site."

_I thought you said that the wind scattered the scents_, Mary-Lynnette projected to Ash.

Ash grimaced, looking annoyed. _Werewolves have a better sense of smell than vampires do_.

_Ah, well, okay then_.

Oblivious to the mental interaction between the young couple, Thierry sat up in his seat and reached for another folder. In a moment of random speculation, Mary-Lynnette wondered if Thierry's desk was magically maintained with a never-ending supply of blank folders.

"Given the rather unusual circumstances," Thierry charged, "You can understand why it's necessary to move the cub as quickly as we can. Since we don't know exactly what we're dealing with, I think that it would be best to get him out of the area. If there _is_ a powerful werewolf hunter around, he or she will most certainly know about this house. We don't need the extra threat at a time like this, and we have another caretaker that can protect him better than we can."

Although she felt a little foolish for asking, Mary-Lynnette turned to Thierry and said, "I don't mean to question your plan ..."

Thierry arched his eyebrow. "But?"

Mary-Lynnette coughed. "_But_, if a magically apt werewolf hunter was able to take down ten full grown wolves, how are Ash and I supposed to protect the pup? He's no witch, and I don't have any psychic tendencies."

Giving her a level look, Thierry sat back in his chair. "Mary-Lynnette," he addressed, "I trust that Ash has told you a great deal about the Nightworld."

She answered, "Well, yes. At least, he's told me the rules governing it, why we're in danger from it, and how it operates."

Thierry nodded. "Good. Then you'll understand that as beings that aren't human, that are relatively small in number, and that must stay hidden for the sake of survival, it isn't often that we become involved in extremely aggressive or outward battles. Our races have long been the spies, the assassins, and the thieves in the shadows. We live by grace, by speed, and by always staying a step ahead of our prey ... or our predators."

Somewhat amused by her soulmate's dramatic interpretation of Nightworld strategies, Hannah clarified, "What he means, Mary-Lynnette, is that Nightworld and Circle Daybreak tactics have always been covert. With careful planning and Ash's training, we should be able to get you to Maine and back without a lot of trouble."

Still feeling slightly uncomfortable with the plan, Mary-Lynnette was about to protest again when she heard the sound of Ash's cell phone. Looking slightly embarrassed, the young vampire pulled out the phone, checking to see who was calling him. Furrowing his brow at the unfamiliar number, he shot a glance at Thierry, who nodded his permission to answer it.

"Yeah?" He asked, his voice dropping into the lazy drawl that Mary-Lynnette recognized from the club.

_I guess he goes undercover if he doesn't recognize the caller, _she thought, watching him intently as his eyes darkened to coal black, and a self-satisfied smirk grew on his face. "Well, I don't know if I remember you," he sighed, leaning back in the chair. "I see a lot of women, sweetheart."

Her emotions ranging from interested to territorial, Mary-Lynnette leaned back in her chair and drew her legs up to rest her chin on her knees. Hannah tossed her a sympathetic look, to which Mary-Lynnette could do little more than shrug in reply.

"Oh, that's right, _Reina_," Ash recalled, closing his eyes. He knew that his behavior looked sort of strange to the others in the room, but given that he was unprepared for the conversation, he needed to focus. "I could never forget you – I slept all day yesterday after the night you gave me." Wincing as he remembered that Mary-Lynnette was sitting no more than five feet away from him, he kept going. "What can I do for you, your Highness?"

Watching Ash with interest, Thierry leaned back and pushed his chair away from the desk. Hannah moved a little closer to him, taking a hold of his hand in the process. Unaccustomed to seeing the affection between Thierry and Hannah, Mary-Lynnette was momentarily distracted from her discomfort.

"Well I don't know about that," Ash said, opening his eyes. "My schedule's been busy lately. I usually don't like to hit the Iris twice in one week – too much of a good thing, you know." His eyes darted to Thierry. After the briefest of moments, the Circle Daybreak Lord nodded.

"But," Ash continued, "For you, I think I can make an exception. I'll be there tonight." Meeting with an unexpected demand, his voice displayed his surprise. "You want me to meet you at _six?_ Sweetheart, I don't know about you Spanish vampires, but us Americans don't exactly keep daytime hours." Hearing her insistence, and seeing Thierry indicate that Ash should acquiesce to her request, he switched gears. "But ... since it's _you_, maybe I can make an exception." Deciding to maintain his distance so as to keep her interested, Ash chose to end the call there, clicking his phone off. After a beat, he looked up at Mary-Lynnette, his eyes a light green. She glanced at him, but didn't know how else to respond.

"So she wants to meet with you again," Thierry observed. "That's highly unusual. Do you think she suspects that you're a spy?"

Ash sighed, drawing his hand through his hair. "I don't know. I guess it's possible that somebody traced me back to this place – even with all of the precautions we've taken. I don't know what else we can do besides have me go and see what she wants."

Nodding, Thierry replied, "Very well. Still, I want you to take a team of agents with you – just in case. You have other responsibilities besides this assignment, and I need you to be alive to do them. We'll put off your trip until tomorrow."

Feeling that the meeting was over, Ash and Mary-Lynnette stood up. "Find me after you meet with her," Thierry instructed. "In the meantime, I'll send down information about your vehicle and accommodations."

Resisting the urge to make a face, Ash simply waved at Thierry, letting the older vampire interpret the gesture in whatever manner he desired.

After Ash and Mary-Lynnette left, Hannah let out a sigh. "Well," she said, turning to face her soulmate. "That was ... tense."

Echoing her sigh, Thierry agreed. "I know. I'll be happy once they get the pup to Jason."

Giving him an uncomfortable look, Hannah admitted, "I don't like leaving them in the dark, Thierry."

Closing a couple of the files on his desk with an air of finality, he sighed. "I don't either, but you know it's safer this way."

Still not convinced, Hannah prompted, "For whom?"

* * *

Walking back to his room, Ash kept tossing nervous glances at Mary-Lynnette. Her stoic silence unnerved him, and he wasn't sure what she was specifically upset about.

Passing one of the werewolf guards on duty, Ash decided to try to lighten the mood.

_Hey, if we make it to Maine without losing the pup, we could run seminars werewolf babysitting. Or even write a book. Maybe Oprah would have us on her author's panel._

Rolling her eyes, Mary-Lynnette turned down a hallway, stopping in front of Ash's door. Ash moved to unlock it, and became confused when he saw Mary-Lynnette staring at his keys. It was to his relief that by the time they got inside, his soulmate was starting to resemble a human being rather than a statue.

"So ..." he said, not sure how to begin the conversation.

Mary-Lynnette sat down on the couch, and Ash hesitantly took a seat next to her. "Don't worry, I'm not mad at you," she said, drawing her legs up lotus-style.

Feeling a little snarky, Ash muttered: "Well, that's a change. It's nice to see our relationship is maturing."

Poking him in the side, Mary-Lynnette reminded him, "But it _is_. That's what I'm beginning to realize. I don't really like the idea of other women actually calling you up or falling in love with you because of your job, but at the end of the day ... I'm the one you want to come home to. In that way ... they're not really a threat, are they?"

Ash blinked, unable to get past a certain part of Mary-Lynnette's revelation. "What do you mean, 'falling in love' with me?"

Mary-Lynnette raised her eyebrows. "Of all people I would think you could recognize something as obvious as that."

Holding up his hands, Ash shook his head emphatically. "Whoa, wait a second here. Who said that Reina was falling for me?"

"She did – by tracking down and calling your private line. You've told me what kind of cover you have in your work. She must have paid a lot of money for your number."

"Mary-Lynnette, that's just not how things are done in the Nightworld. I imagine she wants _something_ from me," here he had the grace to blush faintly, "but at the most, it's a good time and some information. She's one of _Hunter's_ girls. There's no way she'd form an attachment to me."

Looking thoughtful, Mary-Lynnette disagreed. "I don't know, Ash. I've got a feeling about her. I really think there's more going on than you're seeing."

Feeling decidedly unsettled with the conversation, Ash got up and started walking towards the bedroom. "Whatever," he replied, glancing over his shoulder at her. "I think you're paranoid. You should be more worried that my cover's been blown than if some chick is going after me."

Standing up, Mary-Lynnette followed Ash, catching up to him in the closet. "I am worried that your cover's been blown," she said. "But call it woman's intuition – there's something strange about Reina."

Pulling off his t-shirt and exchanging it for a dark blue, silk button down, Ash tossed out: "Of course there is. She's an egocentric vampire witch that's probably going to try to expose me to Hunter."

"Oh I've no doubt she wants to expose you, but I'm not sure if it's to your grandfather."

"Great-grandfather. Very great – around ten or eleven, I think." Tugging off his sweatpants, he asked her: "Have you seen my black jeans?"

Resisting the urge to hit him, she turned around and tore the pants off the hanger, throwing them at her soulmate. "You're being impossible," she pointed out.

Opting to use charm to get back into her good graces, Ash fluidly pulled the jeans up his legs and zipped them. Walking toward her, he slipped his arms around her waist and rested his forehead on hers. "It's a gift," he said.

Still slightly irate, she asked him: "Do you _try_ to annoy me?"

He kissed her temple, his eyes turning dark green as he felt her emotions settle. "Not usually," he answered. "I think it's just our natural chemistry."

Torn between settling into Ash's sentimental mood and convincing him to heed her warning, Mary-Lynnette couldn't help but ask: "Will you at least admit the _possibility_ that she likes you?"

Sighing, he backed away from her and started to nudge aside some clothing near the rear of the closet. "If it helps you sleep at night, sure, fine. She's completely infatuated with me." Pulling out a black belt, he turned back to her, his eyes glowing like emeralds in the faint light. "Are you happy now?"

Mary-Lynnette shook her head. "I'm not asking you to admit it because I need you to cater to my ego. I'm asking you so that you'll be _careful_. Women do desperate things when love ... or lust ... is involved."

Fitting the belt through the last of the loops on his jeans and fastening it, Ash flashed her a confident grin. "Relax," he told her. "I'm used to this, remember? It's my job. She can't do anything to me – even if she is being urged by the fires of passion."

Mary-Lynnette grumbled. "Just don't get overconfident."

Tiring of all the talk of warnings and hidden motives, Ash returned to Mary-Lynnette and draped his arms around her shoulders. "I'll be careful," he assured her, taking the opportunity to run his lips gently down her neck._ Besides_, he thought to her,_ I'm much more interested in what 'desperate things' my **soulmate** does when love ... or lust ... is involved._

Coughing demurely, Mary-Lynnette couldn't hide the blush that rose in her cheeks. "So ..." she prodded. "What time do you think you'll be back?"

* * *

Sitting inside the borrowed convertible, Ash glanced at the dashboard, impatiently waiting for Reina to arrive. 

_Why is it that all females – even deadly, psychotic, vampire spies – feel the need to make men wait?_

Sighing, he leaned back and rested his head against the seat. Although he knew that it was perfectly safe to go inside of the Iris – there were already numerous Daybreaker agents inside – he wanted Reina inside and waiting for a few minutes before he made his own appearance. Mary-Lynnette's words from earlier that afternoon may not have convinced him of Reina's undying devotion, but they did serve to remind him that he wasn't exactly sure of what he was up against.

_I don't know what game you're playing,_ he thought, his eyes catching a bright flash of red as an expensive sports car pulled into a space on the other side of the parking lot. _But don't expect me to give in without a fight. Seeing that the driver of the car was in fact Reina, he pulled on his sunglasses and prepared to exit the car_.

_Just a few minutes, _he told himself._ Then you'll find out what this is all about._

* * *

Sliding on to one of the stools next to the bar, Ash took off his sunglasses, giving the room a casual once-over. Seeing that it was relatively early in the day, the club was filled with a younger, more middle to high school oriented crowd, many of whom were sprawled around the room doing homework or simply gossiping. Although he easily identified the Daybreakers among the patrons, Ash didn't let his eyes linger on any one person. He was still taking a stock of the environment when he felt Reina approach. 

"So you were able to come," she stated, her voice thick with pleasure. "I was not certain that you would."

Resting his elbows on the bar, Ash appraised her, slowly running his eyes up and down her body. Seeing her flush from his gaze, he was satisfied that he held the upper hand for at least the next few moments. "Well, your phone call was too interesting to pass up," he explained. "I couldn't help but be ..." here he let his gaze fall somewhere along her midsection, "curious."

Tossing her dark hair over her shoulder, Reina signaled the bartender. "Can I buy you a drink? I remember that you purchased one for me the last time that we were here."

Offering her a nonchalant shrug, Ash said: "Why not? But you still haven't told me why you called me." Reaching up, he brushed his knuckles over the left side of her face. "I don't like to be kept in the dark about these kinds of things."

Oddly enough, Reina again blushed faintly; he also noted that her hands shook slightly as the bartender brought her their drinks. Making a note of her reactions, Ash accepted the beverage gracefully.

Reina leaned back on the stool and set her drink on the bar. She tossed him a sultry look, her dark eyebrows arching knowingly. "Señor Redfern," she began.

Running the pads of his fingers over her wrist, he let out a smooth chuckle. "Please, your Highness. I think you can call me 'Ash.' After all," he reminded her, "we know each other well."

Reina's face flush bright red at his comment, and Ash was interested to sense her heartbeat pick up. _She's gotta be covering up something_, Ash observed, making the decision to keep playing on her attraction to him. Taking her hand in his own, his voice was liquid velvet when he reminded her: "You were telling me why you called?"

Reina glanced at him, very obviously trying to settle herself. "Yes," she finally answered. "There is ... what do you call it? A dance club. Brand new – just opened. My father, he owns it."

Ash gave a cat-like stretch, dropping her hand in the process. "So? A lot of new clubs are opening up. This is Vegas."

Reina leaned forward, her dark hair sliding off of her shoulders to drape on to Ash's leg. "But you must understand ... Ash," she replied, her voice becoming low and throaty. "My father has rooms for _private _entertainment – full of human slaves. It is a vampire's paradise."

Although he didn't show it, Ash's heart constricted faintly at what Reina was promising. At one time in his life, he would've had no qualms about spending the evening in the kind of place she was describing, nibbling on whatever exotic humans the manager provided. The thought of such an environment now, however, was enough to turn his stomach sour. So much so in fact, that it was difficult to keep the disgust off of his face while he tried to think of his next move.

"Of course, I could not invite you to something so exclusive unless I knew you were the kind of man that would appreciate such rich blood," she explained, feeling bold enough to run her hand down his side and on to his thigh. "So, that is why I called you. Now I am certain that you would do well with the selection that my father can provide. If we go there, you will be _well _treated."

_If we go there_, he mentally corrected, _you could totally try to kill me. And ... it would be next to impossible to control you. Hell, I don't know if I **can** handle a place like that – there's only so much playacting one can do before it's obvious one isn't participating. Still, he thought, seeing the determined set to her jaw, if I want to knock you out cold, this is a good way to do it. And if I don't go, you might get suspicious._

Ash hated to admit it to himself, but it really was the kind of place he'd frequented in the past.

_So I have to go_, he realized._ It's either go, or ruin this whole operation._

His thought process only taking a handful of seconds, he slowly unleashed a dangerous grin in Reina's direction. Seeing that her idea was agreeable, she flashed him a wicked smile in reply, standing up triumphantly.

"Excellent," she remarked, picking up her purse. "I knew from the first moment I saw you that you were my kind of man."

Drawing himself up next to her, Ash tossed his arm over her shoulders, giving her an intimate squeeze. "I am a many women's kind of man," he informed her, heading towards the door.

Grabbing a hold of his hand possessively, Reina corrected him: "Ah, but tonight, Ash, will only be_ my_ kind."

* * *

Smoke ... dim lights ... dizzying laughter and the smell of expensively perfumed flesh all around him. Ash lay draped on top of an overstuffed couch, with Reina nestled in the crook of his arm. Stealing a glance at her, Ash was relieved to see that she was well and thoroughly blitzed. 

At present he was calm, but he'd been on the verge of full-blown panic a little less than an hour beforehand. As soon as he and Reina had gone through the wooden doors leading back to the VIP section of Reyaldo Gómez's nightclub, memories from only a few years ago had poured into his brain. It had taken all of his control not to react to the dimly lit chamber, to the over-charged psychic energy in the air, to the dozens of tanned, long-legged beauties walking around in little or no clothing.

_This is like handing a recovering alcoholic a martini_, he had realized, remembering with frightening ease the appropriate behavior upon entering such a den of iniquity.

The weight of being a spy had never fallen on Ash's shoulders the way it did during those first crucial moments. It was beyond the acting, beyond the pretending – this was the first time he had truly faced the kind of lifestyle he used to live, and he paid for every moment of it with the heavy knowledge of how his soulmate would react when she found out about his activities.

After they'd arrived, Reina had quickly directed him to the couch and called for the best slaves to be presented. In accordance with the elite nature of the club, Ash had selected only two of the foreign beauties, trying to figure out how he was going to go along with the farce without losing a grip on the situation in the process. It wasn't enough for Reina to think he was drinking from the girls – _they_ had to believe it as well. His behavior _also_ had to be convincing enough so that, in the event he was being watched from another room or videotaped, there would be no question that he, Ash Redfern, had participated in the night's events. Eventually, through some rather intense telepathy and slight of hand, he'd managed to get Reina to drink both of the girls without noticing that his own drinking had been mimed. Ash was relieved when the two women were sent away, and Reina began to demonstrate the effects from drinking their blood. He was starting to get tired, and he longed for nothing more than to scan Reina's mind and leave.

"You're so quiet," Reina purred from next to him, trying (without success) to run her fingers through his hair. Her hand fell limply on to her chest, and Ash picked it up gently.

"It's been awhile since I've had Brazilian blood," he lied, eyeing the door out of the corner of his eye. "Say, babe?" he asked, pulling her closer to him. "Is there someplace more ... private ... that we can go?"

Although she was by no means in any sort of condition to participate in whatever it was that Ash was suggesting, Reina was also blissfully unaware of such a fact, and jumped at the chance to be alone with him. "Of course," she replied. "I have a set of private rooms upstairs. Shall we go to them?"

Tempering down the nausea that threatened to overcome him as he stood up, Ash gave her another one of his devastating smiles. "Just lead the way."

* * *

"Oh no! Mary-Lynnette, watch out!" 

Mary-Lynnette had only just looked up from putting a stack of magazines back on top of a bookshelf when she felt a small, furry body run into her side. Giving a little "oof!" as she felt back against a chair, she twisted around and put her arms out for the werewolf cub. Absolutely enthralled with the attention he was getting, he quickly squirmed into her hold, looking up with her with adoring eyes.

"You're cute," she told him, running her fingers over the top of his head, "but you're wearing me out."

Thea crawled over from the other side of the room, flopping down onto her stomach beside Mary-Lynnette. "He's a handful," she agreed, scratching the cub along his spine. "You and Ash are going to have an amazingly difficult time keeping him out of trouble while on the road."

Mary-Lynnette smiled, wincing slightly as the pup nipped her with his baby teeth. "I know it," she said. "But I don't know what other choice we have. Thierry wants Ash to take him, and it's up to me to be supportive."

Thea smiled, drawing herself up into sitting Indian-style and pulling her long hair up and out of her face. "I think that's very admirable of you," she revealed. "There aren't a lot of humans who would be willing to care for an orphaned werewolf. Especially if they were supposed to be on a romantic vacation with their soulmate."

Mary-Lynnette rolled her eyes, reaching down to tickle the pup. "Are you kidding me? This trip has been a lot of things, but I wouldn't exactly call it 'romantic.' Between Ash working the club, us finding this werewolf amidst a veritable slaughter, and some Hispanic vampire princess chasing after my soulmate ... it's been more adventurous than passionate."

Thea tossed her a knowing look. "Right ... your life with Ash has been completely devoid of passion."

Mary-Lynnette blushed. "Well, I didn't say _devoid_, exactly." Seeing that Thea was still amused, she opted to change the subject. "Do you know if we'll ever find out this little guy's name?"

Reaching out to move a small statue away from the pup's inquisitive reach, Thea shrugged. "We might find some kind of record back at the den," she answered. "That's about all we can hope for. Asking him directly won't help us at this point – all he's ever been called is 'pup,' and that was in the werewolf language of growls and yips."

Mary-Lynnette frowned, feeling somewhat disconcerted that her charge was nameless. "Is there anything that I can call him now that he'll respond to?"

"'Pup,' I guess," the witch replied. "Or anything else that he gets used to hearing, really. You and Ash will have to decide that together before you set out. I wouldn't worry about it too much though," she suggested. "The trip is only for a few days, and after that, his caretakers will figure out what _they_ want to call him." She was about to give Mary-Lynnette a new set of instructions about caring for the pup when she saw a strange expression cross the human girl's face. "What's wrong?"

Mary-Lynnette rose to her knees, looking around the living room. "I'm not sure," she said. "I just have a really ... strange ... feeling ..." Looking more alarmed, she handed the pup to Thea. "Can you hold him for a second?"

Thea nodded, looking around and casting her psychic powers out to see if she could sense any danger. Feeling nothing out of the ordinary, she arched her eyebrow at Mary-Lynnette. "Are you sure you feel something? You're not some kind of super-powerful lost witch, are you?"

Pulling herself to her feet, Mary-Lynnette shook her head. "No, I'm not. I just ..." walking to the window, Mary-Lynnette peered outside and saw Ash climbing out of a car. Behind him, she saw half a dozen Circle Daybreak agents were walking up from the garage. Now that she had a more direct connection with Ash, she had more of a sense of something being off. "Something's wrong with Ash," she murmured.

"Ash?" Thea echoed, standing up and resting the cub on her hip. He squirmed slightly, protesting at the change in height, but Thea mentally hushed him, instructing him to be still. "What—"

"I'll be right back," Mary-Lynnette said, dashing out of the room and down the hallway. When she reached the staircase, she took the steps two at a time, feeling with each passing minute that there was something just not_ right_ with her soulmate. When she finally made it to the entryway, he was just walking inside. She got only a couple of feet away from him before she skidded to a stop. Wrinkling her nose, she couldn't help but observe: "Ash ... you ... _stink_."

One of the agents that had been following Ash walked in at that moment and tossed the young vampire a frustrated glare. "He _should,_ considering where he's been the last three hours." Shaking her head at Ash she stalked off to some other part of the house.

Meeting Mary-Lynnette's inquisitive gaze, Ash gave her a half-hearted smile. "It's been a long night," he informed her. Before she could ask for a further explanation, she heard a high-pitched whine from behind her. Turning around, she saw the pup perched at the top of the steps, peering down at her between his paws. Thea was only a few seconds behind him, muttering with exasperation. Finally catching up to the cub, she lifted him into her arms. "What am I going to do with you?" she lamented. Catching sight of Ash, she stopped coddling the pup for the moment. "Ash?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "You look awful," she told him.

Ash shrugged. "What can I say? I love my work." He walked over to Mary-Lynnette and kissed her gently on the cheek. "I need to talk to Thierry," he said, "but then I should be up." His soulmate nodded, but before he went to climb the stairs, she stopped him with a hand upon his arm. _Is everything okay? I'm getting a really weird feeling from you._

Ash gave her a look filled with a mixture of emotions. _It's ... been a really long night,_ he repeated. _I need to talk to you ... but I have to report some stuff first._

Not comforted in the least, but not wanting to belabor the point, Mary-Lynnette could only nod and let him go. After he'd left the room, Thea looked at Mary-Lynnette with curiosity.

"Were you two talking telepathically?"

* * *

And thus we have an end to the most frustrating chapter ever. And what have we to look forward to in the next bit? More emotional angst! More fluff! Ash driving a mini-van! And other plot devices as well! 

And as always, a thousand thanks go to my reviewers: Pyrope, Dogs die in hot cars, incarnated-soul, Angel from Fairyland, Chrios, laura, Lunatic, fate22, filanvampire, the muffin girl, Shadow Play 23, Dark Angel's Blue Fire, Aglaia Di Willow, Jalena, jellysnakes, and Drowning Rooster (all from the last chapter). You guys rock, and are the most important force that keeps me writing. I really do apologize for the infrequent updating, and I keep striving to shorten the time between installments. Take heart, this story will not be left behind!

I have too many evil things left to do to our couple! XDD

As to the next chapter, you can probably look for it within two weeks or so. I have my Spring Break coming up, and I'm hoping that I'll have the opportunity to make some progress. But as I've learned in the past year, I can't make any promises. ;;;


	14. Chapter II4

Okay, so, this chapter. Hardest chapter to write in this story. Ever. I'm not even kidding – I've been working on it for two weeks.

And as to the content:

_**omgTehAngstz0rs **_

Yeah, it's pretty intense. I'm a little afraid that Ash is going to seem out of character ... but I'm hoping that when it's considered that he's going through Massive Emotional Trauma, his actions will make sense. At the very least, you can amuse yourself with the extremely gratuitous fluff near the end. It's _pretty_ descriptive, but still within a PG-13 rating. I figure that since I've been so vague about their physical activities, you guys deserved some idea of what's ACTUALLY going on. :grins:

Okay, enough of my babbling (coffee happiness).

Enjoy the update!

* * *

**_For a Knight's Lady_**

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Although every one of Mary-Lynnette's instincts told her that she should go to Ash's room and wait for him, her attempt to leave the pup inspired such desperate howls that she couldn't bear to go. Taking him from Thea, Mary-Lynnette observed that the blonde witch looked relieved to have handed over the responsibility. 

"I'm sorry about this," Thea apologized as the two walked back to the Circle Daybreak nursery.

Shifting the pup's weight (which seemed to increase the sleepier he got), Mary-Lynnette tossed Thea a small smile. "Don't worry about it," she said. "It was bound to happen anyway, once you asked me to help watch him."

Thea lifted her shoulders helplessly, scooting in front of Mary-Lynnette to open the door to the children's wing of Thierry's mansion. "I thought it would be a good idea for the two of you to get to know each other a little more before being stuck in a car together. Though," she observed, giving Mary-Lynnette a knowing look, "he really seems to have taken to you."

Giving into impulse and running her nose along the bridge of the cub's nose, Mary-Lynnette found herself semi-mesmerized by the young wolf's violet eyes. Her trance was broken, however, when they entered the cub's room. Walking inside, she looked around with interest, unsure of what to do.

"Now, what?"

Thea leaned out of the door into the hallway, her mind taking on the unmistakable look of telepathic concentration. A few moments later, Mary-Lynnette heard the sound of a door opening followed by rapid footsteps. She was surprised when a welcome, but unexpected, figure emerged.

"Poppy?" the human girl asked, her voice rising slightly.

The vampire smiled, gathering her hair into a bun on top of her head as she swept across the room. "In the flesh," she quipped, patting her hair and then rubbing her hands together. "Is our little wolf man back?"

Remembering how hyperactive Poppy had a tendency to be, Mary-Lynnette couldn't help the hesitation she felt in handing over her charge. Suspecting the reason for the human girl's reservations, Poppy tossed her a cheerful grin.

"Don't be such a worry-wart!" she exclaimed, reaching out to take the cub in her hands. "I've had a ton of practice at this over the past year and a half. Jamie and I like helping to take care of the Daybreak kids. It's a lot less dangerous then training new agents how to fight or use psychic energy." Winking at Thea, she took the pup to a changing table to ready him for bed.

Although it was difficult to admit it, Mary-Lynnette had to grant that Poppy knew how to handle the werewolf child. Even if he was unsettled at being taken away from his new mother-like figure, Poppy seemed to be familiar to him, and he quickly settled into her ministrations.

Still, she couldn't help but inquire: "I thought werewolf pups were really attached to their parental figures?"

Thea smiled kindly at her. "They are," she confirmed. "To their mothers and their surrogate mothers; that's undoubtedly why he's so reluctant to leave you. But," she continued, "pups are used to being left with various pack members – especially if their own mother is routinely part of pack hunts. To him, he's just temporarily being handed around right now. His instincts tell him that he'll eventually be back with the members that he's bonded with the most."

Watching Poppy carefully as the vampire placed the pup in a specially constructed crib, Mary-Lynnette commented, "I still can't believe he bonded to me as quickly as he did. We've only known each other for a day, but he acts like he's known me his whole life."

Thea leaned against the wall, studying the pup closely. "I've been wondering about that too," she admitted. "Although it's not unusual for pups to form attachments to beings outside of their pack in times of distress, it normally takes a lot longer than a day. The bond between a birth mother and her cub is _exceptionally_ strong."

Walking to the two other girls after checking the baby monitor, Poppy put her fingers to her lips and motioned for them to leave the room. Once outside, she turned to them and remarked, "I think he may be in a really needy mood. He hasn't been responding to feeding and social interactions the way most cubs do. He's a lot ... twitchier. And he doesn't like being left alone."

"Do you think he's in a state of shock?" Mary-Lynnette suggested, remembering the savage tone of the prior evening's fight.

Poppy nodded. "Probably. Whatever it was that he saw last night, I think it made an impression on him. He could be reaching out to you and Ash because you were both the first _safe_ things that he had contact with after the attacks. It's a natural human phenomenon to cling to saviors, and werewolves _are _by nature part human."

Hearing Ash's name reminded her of the state her soulmate had been in a short time before. Feeling an overwhelming urge to return to him and find out what exactly happened during his meeting with Reina, she excused herself and headed back to the other side of the house. Given its tremendous size and the several stops she was forced to make to chat with new acquaintances, it was almost a full hour before she returned to Ash's room.

Locking the door behind her, Mary-Lynnette heard the sound of the shower running. She poked her head inside of the bedroom, and, when her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, could just make out an untidy bundle outside of the bathroom door. Figuring that Ash had other things to wear and wanting to help keep his suite clean, she gathered up the jeans and shirt and went to toss them into the hamper in front of the closet. Before the clothes left her hands, however, her attention was once again drawn to the wretched smell emanating from them. Wrinkling her nose, she sat on the bed and carefully fingered the material, trying to place the horrid, yet somewhat recognizable, odor.

_It's funny_, Mary-Lynnette thought to herself, only dimly aware that the sound of water running had stopped. _When I first smelled whatever this is, I really couldn't stand it._ She leaned forward and gave the shirt a delicate sniff, finding that what she had first taken as being some kind of pesticide-scent now seemed more like jasmine. _There's so much of it on here_, she observed, _that it completely overwhelmed me. It's like ... like... _

Just then Ash opened the door, looking exhausted but vaguely refreshed in a pair of gray sweatpants, and temporarily flooding the area with light from the bathroom. Mary-Lynnette looked down at the pile in her hands, feeling foolish for taking so long to make the connection.

_It's exactly like women's perfume. An ungodly amount of women's perfume._

Not bothering to mask her previous thoughts from him, her next comment was therefore not completely unexpected. "And it's on your _pants?_"

Ash groaned, running his fingers through still-damp hair. He walked to her and retrieved the clothes, bundling them in his towel before setting them firmly in the hamper. When he turned back around to face her, the tension in the air was almost tangible.

"Mary-Lynnette, it's not what-"

"Ash," she interrupted, biting her bottom lip in an effort to keep her emotions under control. Determined not to give into the aching sensation of anxiety in her stomach, she took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm not going to accuse you of anything ... but I know something's wrong." Her eyes rose to meet his as she gripped the bedspread. "Tell me what happened."

Ash let out a breath he had only been vaguely aware of holding, and sat down on the edge of the bed. Leaning forward, he braced his forearms on top of his thighs, folding his hands together. As he began to talk, his hair fell slightly and hid the side of his face from her. "It all started when I met Reina at the Iris," he began.

Over the next half-hour, Ash recounted the evening's events, describing to Mary-Lynnette the nature of the club that Reina had taken him to as well as the benefits that he was exposed to as a VIP guest. His earlier assumption was proven correct as she paled when he revealed the existence of the human slaves. He had finished outlining the strategies he used to avoid drinking the girls when Mary-Lynnette raised her hand, visibly disturbed.

"Hold on," she commanded. _I don't know how to **deal** with all of this_, she thought to herself, unsure of what she wanted to say to Ash, but certain that she didn't want to hear more about his evening for the present. To add to it, she didn't know what was upsetting her the most: the events from the club, or really, what they said about the events from his _past_. She swallowed with some difficulty before remarking, "Don't think I'm not happy that you didn't, that you didn't drink the girls. But how could you even go into a place like that? Not only tonight," she clarified, "but …before. I don't understand how you _ever _could have thought that it was okay to use people like that."

Ash cracked his knuckles, rubbing his palms together in thought. He knew she wasn't going to like the answer that he would give. "Mary-Lynnette," he gently reminded her, "before I met you ... humans weren't _people_."

_Oh._ "Uh, right," she replied. His answer didn't calm her in the least, but she wasn't sure what else to say. The room was filled with silence for a few moments before Ash cleared his throat.

"Look, I can't make you understand how I was raised," he said, briefly meeting her eyes before looking down to examine the carpet. "I can't explain why it didn't matter to me until a year ago that humans have feelings. I guess it's sort of like how you think about cows. Humans were useful to me; they had stuff I needed, and, well, why _not _drink their blood surrounded by music and other Nightpeople? Why go out hunting in the wild every night when I could have willing ... when I could eat just as well inside a club?"

"But you seduced the girls," Mary-Lynnette pointed out, fighting her conflicting emotions. "It wasn't simply a process of observing the food chain."

Ash had to concede. "No ... you're right. It wasn't."

There was another pause before Mary-Lynnette had the courage to ask, "What did you feel tonight?"

A pained look crossed his face before he responded: "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do." Ash furrowed his brow, the words not coming easily to him. "Harder than turning away from the Nightworld, harder than turning on my old friends, harder than lying to my family about being a Daybreaker."

It was almost too much. "Why?" she ventured.

"As soon as I walked in," Ash confessed, "for that first minute ... for an _awful_ minute, I felt like I'd come home. I wish that I hadn't felt that way, but when I stepped into the back room, I was some place that I understood. I knew what to do, what people wanted from me." He shook his head, his lips forming a half-smile. "Here, at Circle Daybreak, I never feel like I know what I'm doing. Not like that."

Mary-Lynnette shifted slightly, sliding closer to Ash. When he continued, she could feel that the conversation was taking a toll on him "I think ... there are different ways to be a vampire. I guess that's something I've been learning about this past year."

Ash looked down at Mary-Lynnette's hand and picked it up, holding it in both of his. "I'm not human," he murmured, turning to her and meeting her gaze head-on. "I'm not like you. Even if I see what I did before we met as being wrong, there's something inside of me that still recognizes what I used to do as being right because ... well ... because it _worked_."

_It's like any predator using his skills to catch his prey,_ she realized. _Only ... warped_.

He nodded to her. "Yeah, sort of. And ... and I think that since I left you, part of my goal has been ... to be a vampire ... with conscience. I just don't always know how to do that." He ran his thumbs over the palm of her hand, gently massaging the muscles. "I don't always know what it means to be a good predator, and I don't know what's supposed to guide me. I can't look at the other vampires here, because they don't have my demons. They don't understand me." He gave a dry 'heh' sound. "Most of them don't even _like_ me."

His eyes turned bright green, his grip on her hands almost desperate as he revealed: "I guess all I have ... is you."

Mary-Lynnette was startled, almost pulling away in surprise. She knew that his efforts to make up for his past had been for her, but it was entirely different to be ... like his North Star. It was something else entirely to be his _standard_.

Before she could really process what he'd said, Ash moved on. "I have you, and ... I guess I have the structure of Circle Daybreak. But, what I really can't stand is how much I feel like what I do for the organization hurts _you_." He stood up suddenly, dropping her hand to pace around the room in agitation. "I **_hate_ **being a spy like this!" he burst out, swinging around and resting his hand against the wall. "I hate every minute of it, Mary-Lynnette. I hate this image. I hate the half-truths. I hate feeling like I'm hiding – like I'm not actually risking myself. I hate dancing around what I used to be and tricking others because they can't get out of the same demented cycle that I used to be in."

His pain driving into her heart as if it were her own, and desperately wanting to comfort him, Mary-Lynnette stood and went to him, placing her hand on his back. "Ash," she soothed, pushing aside her own feelings for the moment. "You should look at the bigger picture. All the things that you find out for Circle Daybreak help to save the lives of so many people. But even you can't stop _everyone's_ pain. No one can. You can only do what you feel is right. Even if ... some people ... get hurt along the way, so many others will have better lives for it."

"Don't be such a saint, Mary-Lynnette," he countered, his voice sounding very tired. "I know that my work hurts you. I'm your soulmate, remember? I can tell that it upsets you when I get close to other girls – when I put on the ruthless vampire act. I remember your dream." His voice was bitter when he added: "And that just makes it worse. When you're in pain, I'm in pain – because you're my other half, and I love you so much."

"Ash –"

"But that's not all of it, though."

Mary-Lynnette stopped trying to interject, sensing that there was something else behind all of this.

"Tonight ... tonight, I **saw** Reina – the way she really is: not as a spy, not as one of Hunter's women. I don't know why reading her mind was different this time – I didn't do anything that I don't always do. Maybe I was just ... overwhelmed and sloppy." Ash glanced over at Mary-Lynnette and saw that her face was full of concern. Sensing her support, he slowly resumed: "Whatever it was, for the first time, I read the mind of one of my assignments as if she were a regular person. And when I scanned Reina, all of the things that I picked up made me feel like I was scanning _myself._"

He turned to face her, reaching out to grab her elbows. "Don't you see, Mary-Lynnette? The people that made her the way she is, the ideas that she clings to as truths ... they were all things that I recognized. She's just like how I am." He shuddered, his emotions starting to spiral out of control. "I realized, then, that every time I go out and manipulate somebody, I might as well be manipulating myself. Every witch, every vampire, every werewolf, every shapeshifter ... I'm not just attacking the Nightworld ... I'm attacking **me**."

Mary-Lynnette could feel tears threatening. Where was the confidence? Where was the pride that pushed him through life – that helped him push his way into her heart? How could she possibly have missed sensing this much confusion in him?

_I never knew you felt this way_, she projected to him as she slid her hands up his arms to hold him.

He tilted his head downward, resting his face in her hair._ I didn't know, either. I didn't know any of this until tonight, until I saw ... God, Mary-Lynnette, it was like a mirror. A sick, twisted mirror._

She shook her head vehemently. _I don't know exactly what you saw, Ash, but Reina is not **you**. Those other girls, they're not **you**. Yes, you may have grown up in similar circumstances, but your path isn't the same as theirs. And Reina ... she's still Hunter's toy; you've moved on, you're working for **good**. You can't let who you were haunt you like this._

Although comforted by Mary-Lynnette's belief in him, Ash couldn't forget the images he saw in the female vampire's mind. Or the myriad of emotions that he'd received from his soulmate in the past year when it came to his former behavior. Her judgments and opinions meant the world to him, and he wanted so badly to be somebody that she could respect. The thought that he still might not be good enough, that he might never be enough for her, was terrifying. Mary-Lynnette needed somebody who was worthy of her.

_I can't lose you, _he stated, holding her tighter._ I'm not where I need to be yet, but I'm trying. I **swear** I'll make you proud of me._

Unsettled by how much his desire for redemption was tormenting him, a thought began to form at the back of Mary-Lynnette's mind; so far back that even Ash couldn't discern it:

_What if ... what if I was too demanding last year?  
What if I was wrong in telling him he had to be more like me, for us to be together?  
What if I was wrong to send him **away** to do it?_

Pushing aside the unwelcome sentiments for later, she reached up and threaded her fingers in his still-damp locks.

"It's okay," she whispered. "It really is. Things aren't as bad as they feel."

Resting her forehead against Ash's, she assured him: _I love you. I'm not going to leave you. I don't even know if I could, now. We're getting so far into this ... I can't always remember where I'm me and you're you._

He exhaled violently, his emotions finally breaking free of their restraints. Blindly searching for her lips, his mouth found hers in a matter of seconds, sealing the vow with a demanding kiss. Unable to deny him, Mary-Lynnette followed his lead, still unsteady in this world of passion. Feeling lightheaded and weak, she leaned against him, grateful when he slid down her body and picked her up, carrying her to the bed.

Ash gently laid her on top of the comforter, his eyes shifting into a deep violet color when he saw that Mary-Lynnette's were burning their steady midnight blue. His breathing labored, he sat next to her and took a moment to run his fingertips over her forehead and down the side of her face, gazing at her with a look of fervent reverence. With his other hand, he gently began to comb it through her hair, using infinite care and patience when he met a slight tangle or curl. Mary-Lynnette was completely captivated by him, feeling warmth work its way all over her body.

Lifting up her hands, she trailed her own fingers down Ash's face, taking in every possible detail, from the smooth texture of freshly-shaven skin, to the fullness of his lips and his high cheekbones, to the small scars that doubtless had their own stories to tell. He seemed as spellbound as she was, and neither one honestly knew who it was that instigated the kiss that followed. Perhaps him. Perhaps her. Perhaps both.

Slipping his arms underneath her body, Ash drew her to him, rolling over and taking her with him until they were both comfortably draped on the bed. She moaned softly, the noise and accompanying mental echo doing much to fuel Ash's already heightened senses. Catching her lips again and again, he could feel himself falling into her, body to body and soul to soul.

_I adore you._

The phrase resounded over and over again in Mary-Lynnette's head, each subsequent rendition as full of tenderness and yearning as the ones before. With such waves of love surrounding her, it was only natural that Mary-Lynnette's held back tears would eventually well up from underneath her eyelids, making crystalline tracks that caught the faintest rays of moonlight. Feeling them on his lips as he moved across her cheeks, Ash lifted his head in concern.

_Are you okay? Is this too much?_

Mary-Lynnette shook her head, pulling him down into a hug. _No, this is okay, _she answered. _This week has just been really intense. We keep having these conversations; we keep growing closer. I feel like I'm drowning in all of it._

Ash lifted himself back up and lovingly brushed aside a few stray strands of her hair. He took one of her hands and threaded his fingers through hers before kissing the back of it and dragging his lips around her wrist and up her arm, sneaking under the collar of her t-shirt when he got to it. Gathering from the direction of her thoughts that she wouldn't be adverse to the gesture, he ran his hands underneath her shirt, slowly raising the hem as he caressed the tanned skin.

_Forget the conversations,_ he urged her, joyous when he became aware of her muscles contracting from the unfamiliar pleasure. _I want you to drown in **me.**_

_Ash ..._

_Let me breathe with you._

"Yes," she gasped, raising her upper body as he removed the shirt and lowered himself on top of her. The sensation of his bare chest pressed up against her own was almost too much for Mary-Lynnette, although she quickly got over the initial shock in light of the kisses Ash rained down upon her. Combined with the veritable shaking of their soulmate chord, her mind was miles above the earth.

Still, even with her mind almost completely absent from her body, Mary-Lynnette was able to convey a sentiment of the utmost importance:

_You have my love - let me give you my life._

Feeling instinctively that the time was right, Ash nuzzled his way to Mary-Lynnette's neck, riveted upon the arc of her jaw and the pulse of her heartbeat.

_Life? _he echoed, feeling the familiar ache in his upper jaw._ You're my Lady, Mary-Lynnette. With you, I think I even hope for heaven._

Mary-Lynnette was in such a rapturous state, that she didn't notice the sting of his canines. She only felt **him**; felt his soul rush to hers as their universe opened up. He grabbed onto her, merging his essence with hers until his fears were quieted. Until his soul stilled in peace.

* * *

Ash awoke in the pre-dawn hours, more sensing than knowing that it was around four in the morning. Mary-Lynnette was tucked tightly against him, her hair caught half-way underneath his left arm. He dropped his head back on to the pillow and savored the knowledge that not only was she beside him, but that her trust was increasing day by day. Mary-Lynnette was heavily guarded about her innermost feelings, and the night before had been as close to her as Ash had ever been able to get.

Although, part of him could hardly believe that she had let him. Or that she was even still with him. After completely_ losing_ it, he'd half expected her to get up and hitchhike back to Oregon. He couldn't remember ever having been that emotional, desperate, or out of control. Hell, he never dreamed that he had it in him to BE any of those things.

Regardless of any preconceived notions of his self-control, however, the truth was that Reina had scared him. A lot. And when he thought about what Mary-Lynnette must have been feeling, that she may have come to think that he was being unfaithful to her ... it was too much for him to handle. Just the thought of his soulmate suffering because of him was enough to make him severely unstable.

Sliding his right arm off of his side and over Mary-Lynnette, he managed to catch one of her hands in his. He was still thinking of their earlier conversation when he was startled from his reverie by her voice in his head.

_If you're going to be brooding so loudly, could you at least do it in the other room?_

Knowing that there was no real heat behind her remark, Ash smiled, glad that she was awake.

"If brooding is what gets such a lovely girl into my bed, then who am I to argue?"

Silence.

_Oh, Christ, Romeo. Open mouth, insert foot._

Mary-Lynnette cleared her throat. "That was probably_ not_ one of your finer moments, but thanks for the compliment." Turning over, she rested her head at the same level of his, sharing the pillow. She saw him grinning sheepishly, and kissed him, amused at his embarrassment.

"I didn't mean that the way it came out, you know," he said, trying to figure out how far he needed to backtrack.

_I know._

"Especially with everything that we talked about earlier," he maintained.

_Ash, it's okay, really._

"I mean, I'd never equate you to other girls in my bed –"

_Quit while you're ahead._

"Uh, right."

There was a more comfortable quiet between them this time, and Ash took the opportunity to run his fingers through Mary-Lynnette's soft tresses – he didn't think he would ever get tired of doing so. After a bit, she softly revealed: "I've been thinking about some of the things you said."

Ash braced himself for more heavy discussion. _It really **is** all we do these days_, he mused.

"When I first realized what kind of work you were doing," she confessed, "I wasn't really happy about it. That's one of the reasons I wanted to go with you to the club the other night – just to _see_ what it was really all about. I ended up not thinking so much about the seducing part, and more about what our differences were because of the lives we've lived."

Ash nodded. It made sense after all, given the context of the dream she'd had.

"But," she admitted, "today was different, and when you came back just reeking of her perfume, I was pretty unsettled. I know you would never be unfaithful to me," she acknowledged, anticipating his sentiments. "I know I can trust you. But I just don't like the idea of other women touching you, and knowing you in a way that ... well, in a way that I do." She bit her lip and lowered her eyes. "I'm just sort of figuring out that I'm kind of on the territorial side."

Letting her words sink in, Ash eventually replied, "I think that makes me feel better, actually. I don't know how I would have handled it if you'd just decided to be infinitely understanding about everything. I think ... I _like_ it that you're possessive. It means ... you care about me."

Mary-Lynnette couldn't resist the urge to smack his arm, albeit gently. "Well, yes," she said, blushing as she remembered how much their level of intimacy had recently escalated. Glancing down at herself with the memory, she turned an even brighter red when she realized that she was still just wearing her shorts.

"But still," she pressed on, nonchalantly dragging the blanket up underneath her arms. "I don't want to be an obstacle in the path of your growth. Circle Daybreak is a good organization, and you need to be able to help them."

"That's the thing, though," Ash said, turning on to his back and tucking his hands behind his head. Mary-Lynnette rolled with him, draping herself across his chest while still managing to stay covered. It was such an instinctive motion, that she was almost disoriented once she stopped and thought about her new position.

"I have other skills that Circle Daybreak could use," Ash pointed out. "I'm pretty good in a fight, I know a lot about tracking and camping, and I can even hack into a few computer systems here and there when the whim suits me. I'm a ... man for all seasons."

Ignoring the cultural reference, she questioned: "Have you told Thierry all this?"

"Yeah, that's one of the things I talked to him about when I got back. After tonight, I couldn't take it anymore. I can't be a playboy spy anymore. I can't handle what it's doing to me, what it _means_." Wrapping his arms around her and inhaling her unique scent, he added: "And like I said before, I hate how it makes you feel."

"Mmmm," she purred, snuggling into his embrace. Trying to stick to the conversation, she managed to ask: "Um ... what did he say?"

"He wants me to wait to make a decision until after we finish taking the pup to Maine. He says I'm overworked and that some time away may be enough to calm me down." The vampire shrugged. "I told him he was crazy, but he was pretty determined to keep the question open."

Mary-Lynnette smiled at him. "Well ... do what you need to do," she advised. "These are your demons ... you need to be able to fight them as you see fit."

"But I don't want you to suffer while I'm doing it."

Feeling very tender towards him, she took his hand and kissed the back of it.

_And it's like how **I **said. Even if you hurt me, Ash, I couldn't ever leave you. We were born for each other ... it's only now that I'm coming to understand what that means._

Although he didn't reply vocally or through their telepathic connection, the chord was quick to convey to Mary-Lynnette how much Ash treasured her words. Beginning to feel sleepy again, she burrowed deeper into his arms, closing her eyes and giving into the bone-deep sense of contentment. She didn't even chastise him for slipping one of his hands under the blanket to gently rub her naked waist.

Before drifting off, she thought of something she'd wanted to tell him.

_Ash?_

_Hmm?_

_I told Thea about our telepathy. She says that it's a pretty standard soulmate condition._

_Oh, really?_

_I guess it starts after the two have been around each other for a little bit of time. Their bodies are supposed to adjust to each other's rhythms. In the end, it's a mind AND body action, although the telepathy only works between the couple._

_With vampires ... is it because of sharing blood?_

_That's what the theory is._

_Great ... did she have any advice to add to this veritable wealth of information?_

Mary-Lynnette gave the closest approximation to an internal snicker as Ash had ever heard.

_She says to be careful when using it in public. The stronger it gets the more ... physical sensations ... go with it._

_You don't say._

_That's what she – What are you doing?_

It was some time before the pair finally fell asleep.

* * *

Shifting the pup from her right hip to her left, Mary-Lynnette bent down to pick up a set of toy keys that he'd dropped, receiving a happy "yip!" of thanks once the plaything was returned. Rolling her eyes at how deceptively pleasant her charge was being, she turned back to the conversation between Thea, Poppy, and Ash. 

"... and be sure that you _mix_ up his food," the redheaded vampire said, poking Ash in the chest with her pointer finger. "I mean it. He needs a combination of meat AND vegetable products. He can't have a full protein diet."

"And fruit, too," Thea said, gesturing to the large, cloth bag that some of Nilsson's aids were loading into the minivan that Circle Daybreak had arranged for the trip. "His stomach is delicate and he needs prunes to keep everything regular."

Discussing the best ways to ensure frequent bowel movements in werewolf children was _not_ Ash's forte, but Mary-Lynnette was pleased to see that he was trying his hardest to pay attention. Contrary to his earlier assertions that he would not, under any circumstances "cuddle the mutt," she'd caught him giving the cub a gentle pat or two when they'd retrieved him from the nursery that morning. Although she pretty much figured that she would be the primary caregiver on the trip, it was nice to see that he was taking an interest in the child. To her, it was a welcome sign of his emotional growth and assumption of responsibility.

Especially since his reaction upon first seeing the minivan had been decidedly immature.

_"I am **not** driving that mom-mobile!" Eyes wide with shock, he'd given her a pained expression. "Don't make me do this, Mary-Lynnette. I just, it's, it **has a T.V. **for Christ sake!"_

They hadn't argued, exactly. Mary-Lynnette couldn't muster up enough agitation at seven-thirty in the morning to warrant the soulmate chord turning the nearby environment into the lovely fuchsia that often accompanied her irritation. Ash simply tried to make a (poorly formed) argument about the tactical disadvantages of driving a minivan. Mary-Lynnette was rebuffing him with statistical evidence that supported the vehicle's range of motion when Thea had pointed out that the minivan would adequately hide the werewolf baby's identity should any of their fellow motorists decide to examine the contents of their vehicle. Backed into a corner, unable to voice the retort that had come to his mind (_We could just stick the kid in the trunk_), and quite certain that Mary-Lynnette had heard said retort, he'd settled on sulking.

With the sulking done with, however, and the last instructions for the pup given to his temporary parents (as well as a most useful charm that Poppy had had made that would disguise the werewolf's appearance and vocal sounds when they took him to public venues), all that the pair needed was a final meeting with Thierry.

At quarter to eight, the older vampire stepped outside of the house, brandishing a number of envelopes and a small bag. He handed the folders to Ash and gravely regarded the werewolf child. Oblivious to Thierry's somewhat stern gaze, the cub barked at him, wagging his tail and leaning forward to sniff his hand. Mary-Lynnette was pleased when the Lord's face broke into a charming smile, and for some reason, although she couldn't explain it, began to look upon the trip with a sense of anticipation.

_This could be fun,_ she decided.

"This is all of your travel information," Thierry told them, gesturing to the pile of papers that Ash was striving to keep organized. "You have your maps, your hotel arrangements, and all the financial documentation – credit cards, cash, and so forth. You'll also find licenses (You don't mind that we copied your original driver's license, do you, Mary-Lynnette?), passports in the case of the unusual, and a letter for the adoptive parents."

Blinking in amazement, Mary-Lynnette looked over at the contents of the envelope and saw that they had indeed used her original license picture for a new one that made her a number of years older, and married.

_Wait._

_Married?_

"Uh, Thierry?" she ventured, reexamining the two forged documents and seeing that, indeed, she and Ash appeared to be husband and wife.

Shaking the cloth bag, she heard the soft "tink!" of metal. "Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. North."

"North?" she echoed, glancing around in confusion when a number of people around her groaned.

"Not funny, Thierry," Poppy droned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

_I don't get it?_

Ash coughed, trying not to stare at the rings as Thierry emptied the bag into his palm. "Poppy's last name," he explained. Turning to his boss, he nearly sneered: "That's very cute. Did it take you all _night_ to come up with such a good plan?"

Thierry shrugged. "It makes sense for you to pose as the child's parents. And, for convenience, it makes even more sense for you to be married. Or," he questioned them, arching a thin, blonde eyebrow, "are you saying that the arrangement makes you unhappy?"

With the eyes of at least six people on him, Ash knew he had to choose his next words carefully.

_Snarky or suave? Snarky or suave? _he pondered. Glancing at Mary-Lynnette and seeing that she was staring at the rings with skepticism, he decided.

_Suave._

Reaching into the van and sticking the folders in a pocket between the driver and front passenger seats, Ash turned to Thierry and took the smaller of the two rings, figuring that Circle Daybreak managed to get Mary-Lynnette's ring size. She glanced at him with a panicked expression, and he clearly heard her wonder: _What in God's name is he up to?_

Taking her left hand, he swallowed away the intense sense of premonition of a future time when something similar might actually take place. "I would never think that being married to Mary-Lynnette would be anything less than finding heaven." Mary-Lynnette couldn't help but think of his words to her the night before, and tried hard to quell the sentimental response that threatened. He gave her a sweet half-smile in understanding. "I just didn't want to mock such a special bond."

All of the spectators were silent, unprepared for the neigh unheard of display of love and tenderness from Ash Redfern. He reached over and took the other ring from Thierry's hand, placing it on his ring finger. Observing the metal type, he shrugged. "I'm partial to gold, myself, but you take what you can get."

At this point the wolf pup began to fuss, unsure of what exactly was going on around him but discontent that he was being ignored. Mary-Lynnette took him to the van and proceeded to buckle him into the specially prepared child seat.

"Don't let the metal type fool you," Thierry cautioned. "These are specially crafted so that we can track you on your trip. If anything should happen, this is what will help us find you again. Also," he added as Mary-Lynnette shut the van's sliding door and tossed her purse in front of the passenger seat, "remember to call in every twelve hours. I know it's somewhat tedious, but it's really for your safety." The last was said with a firm glare in Ash's direction. He flashed Thierry a carefree smile and shrugged. "I try to check in, but what can I say? I'm a busy man."

Raising his eyes skyward, Mary-Lynnette could almost hear the prayer pass through Thierry's lips. She chuckled and, feeling more confident, patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry; I'll keep him in line. If he messes up, I'll just buy a rolling pin or something."

It was amidst chuckles, humorous conjectures, numerous photos and one video camera that Ash circled the van around the driveway before driving toward the gate. He knew without a doubt that this mission would be forever recorded in Circle Daybreak history.

"If we're really lucky," he joked, "they'll even play the tape at the winter solstice party."

"At least they can't complain if we make them watch slides from our honeymoon," Mary-Lynnette deadpanned, reaching into the folder for the map. After perusing it for a moment, she directed: "Okay, so we're going to want to get on I-15 North towards Salt Lake City ..."

* * *

XDDDDDDDD

This chapter was a beast to write. I really hope that you guys liked it, and, of course, I never turn away reviews (Praise and criticism are the fundamental components to my life. Besides Phantom. And James Barbour (OMGRochester)).

Um. Heh. Okay. Now to thank my wonderful, kind, generous, loving reviewers. You are my guides in dark times, and I write for your benefit. Thank-you so much to all who stick with me through bizarre mood swings and long periods of time without updates.

Angel from Fairyland:chuckle: Ash still has a bit of growth ahead of him. But I really think he's on the right track to getting his head together. I have a couple of other twists coming up for him, and Mary-Lynnette. Your review was wonderful to receive – it was my first bit of validation after a ridiculous hiatus. Thank-you so much for submitting it!

Drowning Rooster: You are by far the most persistent of my reviewers. :chuckle: I'm sorry about the updated-chapter confusion, but this time it was for real! And look, I didn't even put an evil cliffhanger in this one!

laura: Confusion is the essence of a great story. Um. Well, maybe not, but at least it keeps you interested ;). I hope that the wait wasn't too bad this time around, and I'll try my best (as usual) to get the next chapter out before we all die of natural causes. Thank-you for the (extremely!) encouraging review.

jellysnakes:chuckles: I really appreciate your compliments. I hope this chapter was just the right sort for your update needs.

Piscean Wisdom: 'Queen of Fluffyness'? No way! Thank-you so much for the honor! I hope that this chapter lived up to the title – I tried my best! And, although this is belated, I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Dogs die in hot cars: Poor Ash and poor Mare is right. I feel so bad that I keep making them do all of these conversations – and they haven't even been together for a full week, yet. Still, I can't help but feel that these are things that they really need to talk about, and that the pace is probably about right for a soulmate couple. I'm hoping that I can stop being so mean to them in the future, but I imagine there's still much angst to go. Thanks for the review!

Filan Vampire: The action portion is definitely forthcoming. There were just a lot of things I wanted to set down right now so that they can come back later and give the story some additional depth. We've really gone through a lot of emotional growth in these recent chapters, and now it's time to get back to the plot (seeing as everything is finally in place). :chuckle: And, I hope that I catered adequately to your enthusiasm for angst.

incarnated-soul: I don't think anybody likes Reina. :chuckles: She's a difficult character, and I'm still amazed at the depth of her personality. We fight a lot, in that strange author/character way. And don't worry about the evil things. I am an extreme fan of happy endings, so all will be resolved.

fate22:chuckle: Your reaction to Reina reminds me of my earlier reaction to Sam. It's just annoying when these other girls try to get in the way of True Love. Still, don't worry, the Soulmate Chord (and the persistence of our two main characters) will conquer all. I need to get on the bandwagon and read Hesitating – just haven't had the time recently. Are you going to work on it during the summer? Or another story? I look forward to reading anything that you decide to post.

Shattered immortality: I love your reviews. They're always so long and informative and they keep me writing at two o'clock in the morning. As to further conflict (kidnappings, manipulations, cliffhangers), I shall say nothing, but just be reassured that all will turn out in a positive way for all. Reina is someone that I think will continue to frustrate and surprise people. Even I'm not sure about all of the nuances in her character, but I'll agree that she has a wide range of emotions. And yes, the pup is the cutest thing I think I've ever written. Thank-you so much for your wonderful comments!

Lunatic:blush: Thank-you! I try very hard to keep the plot and fluff balanced, but it's difficult to do when I have so many things I need to put into position for the actual plot to make sense and be interesting. I suppose it's just another part of learning to be a better writer. I hope that you liked this update ;)

Wizzy: I'm so flattered that you liked the story! I hope you got my email that this was updated – for future updates, you may want to check out Author Alert. You don't have to be a member to use it, and it will let you keep track of all the stories that you like.

Again, thank-you to all who take the time to drop me words of encouragement and inspiration. I love hearing about what you liked and what could make this story better, and it really keeps me going in light of long hours of study. As usual, I can't promise when our next chapter will be out ... but I'll try to make it soon. And in the end, take heart, summer is only nine weeks away, and then we'll get back into an Extreme Writing Groove.

See you next time!


	15. Chapter II5

OMG an update. Can you believe it? 

I'm really really really really sorry that this took so long to get out. Summer is just not what I expected it to be, and I haven't had a whole lot of time to write. Hopefully, though, you'll find that this next chapter whets your appetite for a bit. I'll stop gabbing now and let you get to it – enjoy!

(Additional author's notes/replies/begs for reviews, etc. will be at the end. ;) )

* * *

**_For a Knight's Lady_**

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

* * *

Leaning back in the seat and stretching her legs out in front of her, Mary-Lynnette propped her bare feet on top of the dashboard and let out a relaxed sigh. After so many days of discussion, planning, intrigue, and emotional angst, getting into the van and just _driving _felt like freedom. Luckily enough for them, the road to Denver only had a moderate amount of traffic, and the weather was encouraging, filled with blue skies and a light morning fog. 

And even better was the fact that the wolf cub had been asleep for a good two hours, leaving the soulmates free to talk amongst themselves. Of course, this wasn't to say that their early morning conversation had been particularly riveting:

"I like chocolate filled croissants better than doughnuts. Croissants are unhealthier, and it's so cool that I can eat them without packing on the flab."

Or enlightening:

"Honestly, I don't think Mark and Jade are soulmates. Of course that's not stopping them any - they _make_ enough of their own sparks to compensate for not having the metaphysical ones."

Or even pleasant:

"I swear to God, if this jackass doesn't pass me, I'm going to send him an engraved invitation to climb into our backseat."

But still, it was the kind of conversation that one generally acknowledges as being 'companionable,' and both Ash and Mary-Lynnette enjoyed testing the waters of normal (if somewhat inane) couple dialogue.

It wasn't until around ten thirty that they began to hear shuffling from the backseat. Ash was the one who was initially alerted to the cub's activities, his heightened senses picking up on the subtle changes in the child's heart rate and breathing, as well as...

"Ermph. Um, Mary-Lynnette?"

"Hmm?" she asked, turning a page in one of the many map books that the van had been filled with.

"I think Lassie's awake."

She looked up at him. "Reall-" she stopped and gave him an exasperated look. Shaking her head, she turned around to peer into the backseat. "I couldn't even tell." She wrinkled her nose at this point, her human abilities catching up to Ash's. "Uh, right. Now I see."

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked.

"Might be a good idea," she said. "I haven't had droves of experience at this, and I probably shouldn't try doing it in a moving vehicle just yet." Giving him a teasing smirk, she added: "Especially if _you're_ the one making it move."

Huffing indignantly, Ash changed lanes to get off at the following exit. "I beg your pardon," he scoffed, slowing down to just under 60 miles an hour. "Have we met with any traffic violations since you got into my car?"

Hearing the pup begin to whimper, Mary-Lynnette twisted her body around so that he could see her face. "Hey guy. We're going to stop, soon." Offering him her hand, she was both pleased and somewhat tense when he captured it with one of his paws, sniffing her fingers before putting them into his mouth and chewing on them experimentally. Seeing that he was just looking for comfort, she glanced back to answer Ash. "And no, you haven't been pulled over a single time. Miraculously. But just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean that it _won't_."

Just to vex her, Ash kept the car around 40 miles as they took a turn off of the interstate and approached a traffic light near the bottom of a rather steep hill.

"Ash, come on. This is no time to indulge your vampiric ego."

"You should trust me."

"Ash, there's a _baby _in the car."

Glancing back at the pup, who was still contentedly biting Mary-Lynnette's fingers, he heaved a sigh. "_Fine_," he droned, bringing the car to a more reasonable speed and lightly stopping at the intersection.

Dropping her forehead on to the headrest, he heard her muffled "Thank-you," as they turned left, heading for a Shell station that had caught his attention.

"Whatever," he easily replied, pulling into the station and siding up next to one of the pumps.

Mary-Lynnette cautiously pulled her fingers back from the pup, running her knuckles over the brown markings on his face to calm him when he started to fuss. "Hey," she soothed, "It's okay. We'll get you cleaned up, and then you and I can hang out back here for awhile." Leaning towards him, she whispered conspiratorially, "And we can make fun of the funny male as he caters to his testosterone."

"As I _what_?"

Mary-Lynette smiled brightly at Ash and affectionately patted him on the cheek. "Never you mind. Go fill the car up while I change junior."

Giving her a shrewd look, he unbuckled his seatbelt and pushed open the driver side door. "You have problems. Serious issues that need to be addressed. With therapy," he pointed out, rounding the front of the car to examine his gasoline options.

Unbuckling her seatbelt and squeezing between the front seats, Mary-Lynnette spied the dark blue diaper bag that Thea had loaded into the van. Grabbing the requisite baby-changing items, Mary-Lynnette wrinkled her nose as she spread out a blanket on the floor of the van and reached for the pup. "I really wish you were human right now," she confessed, not looking forward to the challenge his fur was going to give her.

While filling up the tank, Ash glanced through the window and shuddered, resolving to do everything in his power to stay away from the cub's digestive processes over the next week.

_Maybe I can bribe her with a new telescope or something_, he thought wistfully, hanging up the pump and wiping his hands off on his jeans. Tapping on the window, he got Mary-Lynnette's attention before sliding open the back door. "Hey," he said. "I'm done here. Do you need anything from inside?"

She shook her head, lightly holding down the wiggling cub with her knee while she bundled together the soiled diaper. "No, I'm okay for now. Can you throw this away for me?"

Ash looked at the offered package as if it were a severed head. _Do I have to? _

Mary-Lynnette arched her eyebrow. _Now you do_, she answered, her voice ringing through his head with clarity.

Grumbling about not having his thoughts to himself, he gingerly took the corner of the blasphemous object, tossing the cub a glare before walking toward the convenience store and chucking it into a garbage can before going inside.

Mary-Lynnette sighed and looked down at the pup, whose mood was greatly improved now that he was clean and dry. "What are we supposed to do with that guy?" she asked, rubbing away the last of the hand sanitizer she'd used before picking the cub up and rocking back to sit cross-legged. His back feet immediately came down, one managing to reach the floor and the other one resting on the back of her calve as he stood up, pressing his paws against her chest.

"I feel like I'm pampering a puppy," she observed, reaching up to scratch the werewolf's ears. Closing his violet eyes in rapture, his tail wagged happily before stopping in mid-air as his entire body tensed up to take in the sensation. Shaking her head, she delicately kissed the end of his nose, startling him into opening his eyes and sneezing.

_Ew_.

"You know, I think I've had more contact with unpleasant body fluids in the past 24 hours than I've had my entire life."

"Oh, come on," Ash protested through the open driver's side window as he opened his door and slid back into the driver's seat. "My kisses aren't that bad."

"If your kisses produced anything like what was in that diaper, then you and I are going to have to reassess our relationship."

Ash shuddered. "I don't even want to think about it."

Mary-Lynnette cleared her throat. "Well, prepare yourself for cognition, because you're going to be dealing with it just as much as I am." Seeing the absolutely horrified look on his face, she almost took pity on him. "Now stop that," she admonished. "You look pathetic."

Pulling on his seatbelt, he was almost at loss for words. "But, it's so … _gross_," he said. Hearing a small bark, Ash looked behind him and saw that the pup was trying to climb into the front part of the van. "Ack. Hey, no, you can't come up here."

"Just say hi to him. He really likes you."

Sighing heavily, he reached out and pet the werewolf somewhat awkwardly. "There. Happy now?"

The cub blinked at him before nosing the vampire's elbow expectantly. Ash looked at Mary-Lynnette. "What does he _want_?"

She grinned. "Attention, I guess. Hey you, come on," she called, tapping on the cub's back to get his attention. She looked up at Ash "Are we actually going to call him anything?"

Ash shrugged, starting the ignition. "I don't really care either way. We're not going to have him all that long."

Mary-Lynnette pulled herself up and placed the cub back in his seat. Once buckled in, he spent a moment resisting his restraints until Mary-Lynnette again gave him her hand to chew on. After a few moments, she resumed the conversation. "I know we won't have him for long, but I just feel weird calling him 'Hey you.'"

"How about Spot?" he suggested.

"No."

"Rover?"

A sigh. "No."

"Sir Squats-A-Lot?"

"Oh for God sake."

"Fire Hydrant Frank?"

She couldn't resist chuckling at this point. "You're an idiot."

"So you've finally noticed."

Mary-Lynnette rolled her eyes and then turned to regard the cub while he continued to gnaw on her fingers. "I can't figure anything out now," she said at length. "Maybe something will come to me later on."

"And just what's wrong with Fire Hydrant Frank?" he inquired, directing the minivan back toward the interstate. "I know a lot of good guys named Frank."

Mary-Lynnette gave into impulse and stuck her tongue out at him. "None of whom are associated with plumbing, I presume."

"Well, actually, I do know a guy who scuba dives in reservoirs," he informed her, leaning back and settling into the drive.

"That's … awful," she replied, reaching down into another baby bag with her right hand and feeling around for one of the cub's toys.

"It's a pretty sick job," Ash agreed. "They call him in to look for unusual stuff that shows up in lakes, to make repairs, or to recover debris."

"How did you meet him?" Mary-Lynnette asked, retrieving a wooden rattle and handing it to the pup. Her charge sniffed at it suspiciously for a moment before deciding it was a worthy toy and taking it between his paws.

Ash grinned. "It's sort of a funny story. I was down in Texas, doing some recon for Thierry back in March. Things, uh, kind of got hairy toward the end of my mission though, and some of the local sheriffs got my license plate information and tried to pull me over."

Mary-Lynnette winced.

Ash shook his head. "Yeah ... I had a huge supply of semi-precious metals in the trunk that would've raised a lot of uncomfortable questions."

"Can I ask why you were transporting gold and silver across Texas? Or will you have to kill me if you tell me?"

Ash snorted. "Hardly. The witches like to use them to make … whatever it is witches make. I was bringing some really quality stuff back from the border. Anyway, I called Thierry on my cell, and he told me to just ditch the car. It was a really nice car, though, and the thought of leaving all that gold just broke my heart …"

"So …" Mary-Lynnette prompted.

Ash coughed. "So … I took the car in a flying dive off a bridge into a lake."

"You _what_?"

"You heard me," he grinned, checking behind him as he changed lanes to get around a charter bus. "It was sort of tricky getting out of the car without the cops seeing me, and don't even ask why my cell phone didn't die when I swam through the water. And believe me," he added, "I've _never_ been so grateful to be immune from disease. The lake was vile."

Mary-Lynnette shook her head, looking down at the pup and grabbing the end of his rattle, gently pulling it away from him to start a game of tug-of-war. "I can't believe you."

Ash shrugged. "True story, I swear. So, anyway, I swam to shore and called Thierry, and he was able to get enough Daybreak agents together so that we took control of the situation and got the car and the metals back."

"And so I'm guessing Frank was one of the guys who went scuba diving for the car?"

"You got it," Ash confirmed. "He's a cool guy – otter shapeshifter from way back. He's been with Circle Daybreak since we started."

"Interesting," she commented, beginning to look around the backseat for the bag of books and videos that Poppy had generously provided for the trip. While searching, the idea of septic systems reminded her of what she and Ash had been talking about.

"By the way," she informed him, her eyes finally lighting on the bag. "I wasn't kidding about what I said before – I really want you to help me out with taking care of him. I know you have a lot on your hands with driving and keeping us safe, but you can at least change him once in awhile."

Ash grumbled, not giving her a particularly coherent response.

"I'm serious," she maintained.

"Can't we just walk him on a leash or something?"

"He's a _baby_," she reiterated.

"That's in a full canine _form_," he retorted.

"That could change at any point. Do **you** want to be the one who has to deal with him if he switches to his human shape halfway through the process and has no idea what's going on?"

Ash was forced to grant her that particular point.

Leaning forward to get the bag, Mary-Lynnette rolled her eyes and thought to herself: _How on earth is he going to handle **our** kids if he can't deal with a werewolf puppy?_

_Actually, can humans and vampires even **have** children?_ she wondered.

Becoming fully aware of her thoughts, Mary-Lynnette stilled, and a faint blush swept over her face. She looked up at Ash and saw that he was similarly red, his eyes fully fixated on the road.

"Um …" she floundered, knowing that he'd heard her.

Ash cleared his throat before answering. "Human and vampire hybrids? I guess it's possible. It's not something that the Nightworld talks about all that much, though – there _are_ those pesky laws and everything." Before she could respond, he added: "And as to the diaper changing, I'm positive that our kids wouldn't have tails _or_ fur. That increases the chances of me helping by at least a factor of ten."

* * *

It wasn't until almost 9:30 that evening that the travelers reached the Magnolia Hotel in Denver. Mary-Lynnette had been lightly dozing in the backseat with the pup on her chest, the latter of the two being completely fixated on his third viewing of _Homeward Bound_. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes and wincing as she heard Sassy remark (for the third time) that "Cats rule and dogs drool" (the only decent line of the whole 'wretched film' as far as Ash was concerned), she tried her best to stretch without dislodging the baby. 

"So you found it," she yawned, trying to wake herself up enough to be useful.

Ash looked back at her and smiled ruefully, switching off the engine. "Eventually," he acknowledged. "It took me forever to figure out where Lawrence Street was, but I managed." He unbuckled his seatbelt and arched his back in a long, satisfying stretch. "Do you want to come in with me or stay here?"

"I'll come in," Mary-Lynnette said. "If I don't stand up in the next thirty seconds, I think I may chew off my own legs." Looking down at the werewolf and realizing that such a thing happened fairly often in the wild with _real _wolves, she winced. "No offense," she assured the pup, sliding the door open before reaching out and taking him on to her hip. She was about to close the van when Ash came up from behind her and nudged her partway back inside. "What –" she started to say, before realizing that she'd almost taken the pup out of the car without putting on his concealment charm.

Leaning her head against the window, she shook her head. "Thanks. I can't believe I almost walked inside of there with him like this."

Ash shrugged. "No big deal – you're just not used to all the secrecy." Glancing down at the baby, he let out a low whistle. "Whoa, check out the difference."

Mary-Lynnette swallowed her retort and followed his gaze, deciding that she had to agree with Ash on this one. Instead of a fuzzy ball of brown and black fur that strongly resembled a baby German shepherd, Mary-Lynnette's arms were filled with about 16 pounds of pink skinned and red haired baby boy. "Definitely weird," she agreed. "Do you think this is what he actually looks like?"

Shutting the door, Ash put his arm around his soulmate's shoulders and headed toward the hotel's entryway. "He might," Ash answered. "Still, we won't know for sure until he feels safe enough to transform out of his defensive mode." Glancing at the child's head, he rolled his eyes. "Although I'll bet you that the red hair was more of a tribute to the one that made the charm instead of what's actually in his genetic makeup."

Mary-Lynnette snorted, remembering Poppy's own flame colored locks.

Stepping through the heavy wooden and glass doors that led into the hotel, the pair took a look around, noticing how the lobby was extensively clad in dark and shiny furniture that contrasted pleasantly with the light colored walls and mosaic-like artwork. The overall effect was extremely elegant without being stifling.

Impressed despite herself, Mary-Lynnette nodded with appreciation. "_Nice_," she observed. This was nothing like the La Quintas and Holiday Inns that she was used to using when she and her family went on vacation.

Ash glanced around, doing so as much to check the room for entrances, exits, and suspicious subjects as to echo Mary-Lynnette's approval. "Thierry likes expensive things," he told her, locating the registration desk and aiming the group towards it. Passing by one of the lobby's many potted plants, the cub couldn't resist taking a swipe at a bush with his right hand.

_Is that a normal baby thing to do?_ Mary-Lynnette wondered, shifting the child to her other hip and gently taking hold of one of his hands. She once again marveled at how he felt and appeared to be a regular human boy.

_Better not let anyone touch him, _Ash cautioned. _For all that he looks human, he'll still respond like a werewolf._

_Good idea_, she answered. _I don't want to explain why my child instinctively bites strangers._

"Can I help you, sir?" a young woman asked, pulling over a registry after glancing at their 'baby' with curiosity.

"Uh, yeah. My wife and I have reservations for the night. Mr. and Mrs. North. I think it's your deluxe suite."

"Ah, yes, here it is, Mr. North. All we need is your credit card to confirm the reservation."

Ash slid the thin plastic over to the clerk and glanced over at Mary-Lynnette, noting that although she hadn't complained during the day, taking care of the pup had worn her out.

_Are you feeling okay_? he asked, signing a couple of forms that were presented to him. The clerk accepted them and went to get their room keys.

Mary-Lynnette nodded. _Just a little tired. Can you hold him for a second? I want to give my back a break._

Ash gingerly took hold of the disguised pup, feeling extremely uncomfortable with being in charge of something so small.

"Everything's all ready for you, Mr. North," the clerk announced as she returned to the desk. "Here are two copies of your room key, a map of the hotel," here she marked off the location of their room, "and an additional map of the surrounding city." Glancing up, she couldn't help but smile. "I'm sorry, you must hear this all the time, but you have the _cutest_ son."

Ash coughed. "Uh, thanks," he said, his cheeks reddening slightly. "It's, um, our first."

The clerk didn't seem to notice Ash's discomfort. "He's absolutely beautiful – although, if you don't mind me saying … his coloring is so different! Red hair and purple eyes!"

Mary-Lynnette became _extremely _aware at that moment that neither she nor Ash had red hair or purple eyes.

"It's a family trait," Mary-Lynnette interjected, seeing that Ash was having a horrible time trying not to melt from embarrassment. "My mom's side of the family was very," _Oh jeeze, where do people with red hair live? _"— Scottish."

The clerk nodded. "I understand – my mom's family is from Edinburgh. They're all copper-tops like this one." She flashed them a bright smile. "Well, anyway, enjoy your stay! Let us know if we can be of any help whatsoever."

_Nice recovery_, she heard in her head, Ash's mental voice laced with obvious amusement.

_Maybe I'll make a decent undercover agent after all, _she joked, directing her attention once more to the clerk to ask if they could get a crib for their … son.

* * *

Stepping inside of their suite, Ash was glad that he had shooed away the bellhop, as the cub's excitement about being in a "den-like" place made him bark so repeatedly that the charm was hard pressed to make it sound like normal-child babble. Giving Ash a helpless look, Mary-Lynnette went directly to the living room, sitting on the edge of the fireplace before setting the cub down and removing his charm. Although the pup hadn't seemed to be bothered by his physical transformation, she thought it best to use the artifact as little as possible. 

"I'm not surprised he's running around," she commented to Ash once he returned from stowing the luggage in the bedroom. Keeping a sharp eye out so that the pup wouldn't go flying into the corner of one of the tables, she added: "He's been cooped up in the van all day. This is going to be a hard trip for him."

Ash shrugged, taking a seat next to her and holding her hand. "He'll be fine," he assured her, smirking slightly as the pup got ahead of himself and stumbled into a poofy heap. "He's pretty tough. Besides, you kept him plenty entertained. I wouldn't be surprised if he went to sleep fairly early."

Giving him a shrewd look, Mary-Lynnette had to ask: "How is it you know so much about werewolf pups all of a sudden?"

Ash gave her a half smile, still somewhat focused on watching their charge sniff around the room. "We had a lot of them on the enclave," he told her, leaning back against the wall next to the fireplace and pulling her into his arms. "When I was a kid, before it was taboo for me to hang with werewolves, I liked to go and watch the younger ones." His eyes darkened to a deep blue with the memory. "They were fun to be around, and I learned a lot. I'm not exactly an expert, but I think he'll be fine with us for a few days."

Mary-Lynnette nodded, rubbing the top of her head underneath his chin and feeling the beginnings of stubble on his face. They were enjoying the silent calm when the pup, intent on tracking some foreign scent on the ground, lost his balance and did a small somersault, ending up in a seated position and looking bemused. He craned his neck around to glance at his caretakers and let out a 'yip' of confusion. Both guardians snickered, and the expression on the cub's face was enough to make Mary-Lynnette slip out of Ash's embrace and crawl to him on her hands and knees. Delighted to have someone to play with, the pup lifted his back end in the air and wagged his tail, ready and waiting to romp around with this 'big female person.'

Yawning, Ash realized that he should probably go out and feed before it got to be too late. He drew his lanky frame up from the hearth and stepped over the wrestling heap that was his soulmate and the werewolf. Clearing his throat, he got her attention.

"Going out?" she asked, pushing the pup off of her stomach in such a way that he immediately dove back on top of her.

"Just for awhile," he answered, grabbing one of the room keys from the coffee table. "I shouldn't be gone too long – I saw some woods a few miles away."

Mary-Lynnette grunted as the cub pounced on top of her abdomen. "Hey, easy," she gently chastised. "I need to _use _those organs."

Ash smirked and opened the door. "Do you want me to pick up anything for you?" he asked, valiantly attempting to maintain his 'thoughtful and sensitive significant other' image.

Mary-Lynnette shook her head. "No, I'm fine for now. Just bring yourself back."

Ash was touched. "Really?"

She nodded, rolling over to tickle the cub. "Yeah. I want your help giving him a bath."

Ash hung his head, slinking out of the room. "I see how it is. One day with a kid and all the romance goes out of our relationship."

After he shut the door, he heard the unmistakable "thump" of a pillow hitting the doorknob. Chuckling, he sauntered down the hallway to the elevator.

* * *

Ash was in the middle of a wonderful dream that involved Mary-Lynnette, a private island in the Caribbean, and the application of coconut oil, when he suddenly awoke, fully alert and attuned to the sounds around him. 

Uncertain as to what disturbed his rest, he unconsciously tightened his grip on his soulmate as his senses stretched out to discern the danger. Whether it was because of some inner sense that told her that something was off or because Ash's arm constricted her breathing, it only took a handful of heartbeats for Mary-Lynnette to join him.

Her human faculties groggily trying to ascertain what was amiss, she thought to him: _What's going on?_

Ash silently rolled up into a seated position, bringing Mary-Lynnette with him. After a second, he let out a sigh, feeling extremely stupid.

"It's the pup," he informed her, making use of his physical voice to break the tension in the air.

Falling back to her pillow, Mary-Lynnette groaned. "He's up _now_?" she lamented, turning over slightly to see what time it was. "Three thirty. He's only been asleep for five hours. I thought he was old enough to sleep the whole night _through_."

Ash shrugged, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "I guess all the traveling and upheaval is having an effect on him."

Mary-Lynnette nodded mutely before gathering up her resolve. She threw the sheets back and moved to stand up. "I'll get him," she said, scooting off of the bed. "You had to drive all day."

Ash felt bad. Although it was true that he'd spent more than eleven hours driving, he knew that Mary-Lynnette had spent nine of those hours entertaining an extremely active werewolf. Both had had a rough day, but he obviously had the physical and psychic advantage.

"No …" he objected, reaching out to pull her back on the bed.

Mary-Lynnette blinked at him, not quite understanding. "Ash, one of us has to go get him. He can't just keep crying."

Gently pushing her back into a horizontal position, Ash slipped off the mattress and covered her with sheets before kissing her tenderly. "I'll get it," he assured her, tugging on a pair of sweatpants. "I did a little extra feeding tonight, so I'm fine. Besides," he added, flashing his trademark grin and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, "if you don't keep up your strength, how are you going to take care of _me_ when _I_ wake up in the middle of the night?" Dodging the pillow that she threw at him, he quickly walked to the crib on the other side of the rather large bedroom.

_It's cool, calm down_, he soothed, using his telepathic powers to connect to the small cub's mind. Eyes wide with fright, the young werewolf scrambled frantically against the side of the makeshift crib and nearly launched himself into Ash's arms. Still not used to carrying him, Ash clumsily grabbed a blanket and headed for the living room, finally sinking into one of the couches.

From the bedroom, Mary-Lynnette sleepily managed to project a thought to him. _He might be hungry._

Ash grumbled to himself. _Easy for you to say – you don't have to get back up,_ he retorted (although by this point Mary-Lynnette had completely succumbed to her exhaustion, so it ended up being more like a fervent self assertion). Looking down at the bundle of fur in his arms, he saw that the pup had stilled completely and was watching him with wary, confused eyes.

_Okay. Somehow, I need to calm him down. _

Ash stood up again, gently placed the blanket on the seat of the couch and wrapped the pup up in it. Once done, he set the baby on his hip and moved to the kitchen and went to the refrigerator to get a bottle of specially fortified milk. As he waited for some water to heat, he slowly paced back and forth, trying to soothe the still-whimpering cub.

"I'd sing to you," Ash informed him, "But I think that would just make things worse." The pup looked up at him quizzically, his head cocked to one side. "Really," Ash insisted. "It's pretty awful. Don't let Mary-Lynnette know, though. I still may want to surprise her with a mariachi band one day."

The cub's response was to rest his chin on Ash's shoulder.

Ash smiled ironically and removed the bowl of water from the microwave, taking the bottle and dropping it in the warmed liquid. "I guess I should change you or something while this heats up," he observed, trying to remember where Mary-Lynnette had tossed the diaper bag. By the time he'd found it, and gone through the excruciating process of cleaning the pup ("_Jeeze, with all of that in there, no **wonder** you were crying_."), the bottle was ready and Ash had planted himself back on the couch, convinced that he wasn't so bad at this whole 'father-figure' thing.

As he sat back, watching the pup drink greedily out of the bottle, Ash couldn't help but stare at the baby and begin to feel the vague stirrings of paternal wonder. Although the child in question still very much resembled a German-shepherd puppy, there was something uncanny and humane about the intensity of his violet gaze.

_You're just so … small_, he thought to the cub, readjusting his hold so that it was more comfortable for both of them. _I guess it's up to me to protect you_, Ash asserted, gently swaying his arms back and forth.

Although he wasn't quite finished with the bottle, the pup took the opportunity to stop drinking and nose it aside. Ash was surprised, and tried to put the nipple back in the cub's mouth, but he clearly wasn't interested.

_Well, what do you want? _Ash asked, hoping that his telepathic powers could catch a hint of what was on the pup's mind. He remained still, and gazed at Ash steadily in such a way that the vampire was almost unnerved.

After a minute or so, when Ash was tempted to go and get Mary-Lynnette's help, he felt something. Something in his mind. Something that he _never_ would have expected to encounter.

The pup reached out and touched Ash's mind with his own.

It was a feather-light tickle at first – so faint that the vampire almost missed it. But with the success of his first attempt, the pup reached out again and again until Ash reached back, forming a connection.

_This is so cool_, was Ash's first response as he got the sense of a warm, soft, and bubbly soul.

Right _now_, things were okay, the pup was thinking, stretching out his paws and wiggling his toes slightly. Right now with the new 'leader male person' things were okay. Not _all_ safe, but close enough. Close enough to sleep.

Ash wasn't sure how to respond to such thoughts, so he tried to project the image of both him and Mary-Lynnette holding and taking care of the pup. Being reminded of Mary-Lynnette, Ash got the sense of intense adoration for the most recent 'mother type' he could remember.

Which, in turn, made the cub remember his _real_ mother.

Here the thoughts were more abstract than before. The pup didn't have a clear sense of what had happened to her – just that she had been frightened and that she was gone. There had been moving – a lot of moving. And then sounds. Bad sounds. He had smelled blood – but not good blood. And he'd ran. Ran because that's what every instinct told him he had to do. Ran because the pack was trying to hurt him. Why would they hurt him? He tried to be a good pup. He tried to follow pack rules. He tried –

Convinced that remembering these things was Not A Good Thing, Ash broke through the pup's mental meltdown and wrapped the small mind gently in the cradle of his own.

_You're safe_, Ash told him, cradling the werewolf in his arms, next to his heart. _You're not going to die. You're with us. And … you're a good pup. _He kept his thoughts short and to the point, conveying the most fundamental ideas of security and safety that he could. After a few moments, the cub's frantic thoughts settled and the link between the two faded away.

Shuddering and whimpering, it was some time before the pup truly relaxed. Even after he had slipped into deep slumber, however, Ash didn't move to put him back into his crib. Instead, he sat up for over two hours, cradling the child and mulling over what had taken place. Even as the first rays of the sun peeked through the living room windows, Ash continued to ponder on how a six and a half-week-old werewolf had the mental capacity to make a telepathic connection.

* * *

The next day saw a slight change in the roles of the pup's caretakers. As a result of not having slept all that much the night before, Ash suggested that they make it a slower day and that Mary-Lynnette do most of the driving. Although it took her awhile to get used to handling such a large car, she managed to get the hang of it by the time they left Colorado. 

With Mary-Lynnette in the driver's seat, this left Ash in the back with the cub – something that he was less inclined to object to after the night before. Over breakfast that morning, he told Mary-Lynnette about the cub's display of psychic abilities.

"_How unusual is it for him to be doing that at such a young age?" she asked, spooning a helping of bananas and sneaking it into the cub's mouth._

"_The age is one thing," Ash replied, catching a cup that went flying off of the highchair. "What's weirder though, is the **species**. Werewolves don't usually have telepaths in their families. Honestly? I think Thierry's keeping something from us." _

_Looking at their charge, Mary-Lynnette carefully wiped his muzzle. "Well, we can ask him about it tonight. In the meantime, I don't really think we should do anything differently from before. He's still a baby – psychic abilities don't change that." _

So with normalcy in mind, Ash had surrendered himself to a day in the back with the small werewolf. Although Mary-Lynnette was happy to see that her soulmate was growing more comfortable around the pup, she was forced to admit that it was producing some rather ... unusual ... results.

"...One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. Black fish, gold fish, old fish, _new_ fish!"

_Oh good grief_, she thought, glancing at the rearview mirror to see Ash sitting next to the pup, a Dr. Seuss book opened in front of them.

"**This** one has a little car! And _this_ one has a little star! **_Say _**what a lot of fish there are!"

"That's ... amazing," she observed, turning on the windshield wipers as they drove into some light rain. "Really it is. I have no words."

"What?" Ash huffed. "I'm reading to him – just like you did yesterday before you found that awful movie."

"Yeah, but I didn't use strange voices," she pointed out. "Unlike some others in this car, I can stay within my appropriate tonal range."

Ash shrugged. "Whatever. It's keeping him entertained. Besides, I'm starting to run out of ideas. You were right about these hours in the car being hard on him – he really wants to run around."

Taking a look at the dashboard clock, Mary-Lynnette saw that it was quickly approaching noon. "Well, we could stop for awhile," she suggested, moving over to the right lane and starting to look for potential exits. "I'm getting hungry, and I'm sure he's going to need to be changed."

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to do that part?"

Mary-Lynnette snorted. "I thought you were all into being Super Dad."

"I never said I liked doing _that_ part," Ash grumbled. But looking down at the pup, who was chewing on the edge of the book, he couldn't help but admit: "He _is _sort of growing on me, though."

"No kidding… Here, it says that there's a Subway up ahead. I know you like stealing my fries, but I need to have something that's not so greasy. Are you going to want anything?"

Ash shuddered. "Are you kidding me? Their sandwiches have _green_ things on them. I'll thank you to keep this sensitive child, and myself, away from such objects."

Mary-Lynnette couldn't help deadpanning: "Yep. Father of the year, right in my backseat."

Before Ash could even think about snarking back, the pup let out a short bark and leaned forward to nuzzle Ash's arm. Smiling smugly, he drawled: "Well, it would seem that _somebody _thinks so."

* * *

"I can't believe he's actually asleep." 

"Shhh. For the love of God, don't talk so loud, you might wake him up."

_Well if you're **that** worried about it, use the link,_ Ash pointed out.

_Ugh. I keep forgetting that we have this_, Mary-Lynnette groaned.

Quietly tiptoeing into their hotel room, Ash used his night vision to keep from running into anything as he carried the cub across the room to the couch. Mary-Lynnette waited until he had gently placed the baby on his stomach and covered him with a blanket before quietly shutting the door and turning on one of the lights.

Exhaling deeply, she slid on to one of the other couches and leaned her head back.

_What a day_, she thought to him, grinning ruefully.

Ash came up behind her and started to rub her shoulders, working out the knots of tension that had built up during the drive. _No kidding. I'm sorry, again, about the Subway thing._

Mary-Lynnette shut her eyes, her muscles humming with pleasure as Ash smoothed out some of the rougher kinks. _Don't worry about it, _she assured him. _Luckily enough, he wasn't wearing anything, so it didn't look half as strange as it could have._

The incident in question had taken place not long after Mary-Lynnette pulled into the Subway parking lot for lunch. Handing Ash the keys to the van, she'd hopped inside of the restaurant to get her sandwich, leaving the cub in the hands of her soulmate. What she had not counted on, however, was the pup's discomfort at her absence. While changing him, Ash had turned around for a second to grab a second diaper (his inexperience horribly mangling the first). Upon returning his attention to the pup, it was to see that his charge had jumped out of the car and was leaning against the glass window of the restaurant, barking happily and wagging his tail.

_Besides,_ she added, rolling her head around slightly, _you got a hold of him pretty quickly. We should be thankful he didn't decide to wander out into the street, instead._

_Still,_ Ash insisted, _I'm supposed to be protecting him._

Looking up at him, Mary-Lynnette furrowed her brow. "Really, it's okay," she insisted, tugging on his shirt so that he was at eye level with her. She kissed his forehead and then his nose. "Nothing bad happened, we both learned a huge lesson, and we'll be even more careful from now on."

Feeling somewhat comforted by the knowledge that she wasn't disappointed in him, Ash smiled and wrapped her up in a hug. "It's a little early, but I should probably go out hunting while he's sleeping."

Mary-Lynnette nodded and stretched her legs, kicking off her shoes in the process. "Sounds good. Can you pick up some Chinese food for me?" She tossed him a teasing look. "I'd order it, but I think you'll probably be quicker than their drivers."

Ash wrinkled his nose. "Chinese food? Again?"

Mary-Lynnette winked at him. "Again. I like Chinese food, and Briar Creek doesn't have it. This is my chance to indulge."

As she went to get her wallet, Ash muttered: "And you say _I'm _excessive."

"Why don't you get ice cream too, while you're out," she suggested, choosing to ignore his comments and instead hand him money. "Something full of chocolate."

_Whoa. Ice cream? Now **that** I can support._

"One shrimp and vegetable stir-fry coming up."

* * *

Ash liked the way that he felt after feeding. The hunt itself was always exhilarating – the tracking, the stalking, the knowledge that if he made one small error, his prey would get away and he'd have to start from the beginning. That night he chose a grown deer past his prime and a little on the slow side. Finally managing to corner it by a small stream, he drank his fill and then disposed of the body (it really wouldn't be good for somebody to find a deer drained of its blood near downtown Omaha). That finished, he leapt through the trees back to the city, all of his thoughts bent on finding a Chinese restaurant and ice cream parlor for Mary-Lynnette.

Later on, as he exited the Ben and Jerry's he'd found, he adjusted his grip on the Chinese food and wondered why it was that all the Chinese restaurants in the United States made use of the same awkward-to-actually-carry carryout cartons. Reorienting himself, he invoked his extra-sensitive sense of direction and proceeded towards the hotel.

As he walked, he let his thoughts drift over the day's events and the questions he would have for Thierry when he checked in with the Lord later on that evening. After spending the day with the pup, Ash was convinced that the young wolf had some form of psychic ability. What remained to be answered, however, was how _much_ of an ability the pup had, and why he had it in the first place.

_There are four possibilities here_, Ash concluded, turning on to Dodge Street and seeing the Doubletree hotel come into view. _The pup got it from some obscure relative, from a random mutation, from his mother, or from his father. _An idea suddenly occurring to him, he amended: _Or … or the pup got it from his father but NOT his mother's mate._

Remembering the way that the pup's mother died, Ash smiled grimly.

_And I'm going to bet that that's it. Wolves don't kill their alpha leaders – either of them - unless it's absolutely necessary._

Reaching the front of the hotel, Ash juggled the Chinese food and ice cream carton from one hand to another while pushing against the revolving doors. Once inside, he relished the cool blast of the air conditioner and waved to the front desk clerk. As he entered the hallway and passed the first set of doors, he started to get a strange feeling. The sensation only intensified the closer that he got to his room, and he eventually broke into a run, absolutely certain that something was out of sorts.

Bursting into the suite, he startled Mary-Lynnette, who had been in the process of feeding the pup. "Ash?" she asked, "what's –"

Dumping the Chinese food and ice cream on to the floor, his face slid into full-vampire form and all of his senses went haywire as he sensed an intruder outside of their window. He firmly took hold of the pup and put him in Mary-Lynnette's arms before pushing her out of the way and drawing open the curtains.

Outside of the window, crouched behind a bush was a small, thin figure with a cap of ice-blonde hair.

_What's out there?_

Ash shook his head, his body relaxing slightly when he saw that the intruder was hardly more than a teenager. _I don't know, but I'm going to find out._

Tugging open the glass door and slipping on to the patio , Ash was behind the bush and holding on to the teen before the latter could register that the vampire had even come outside.

"Hey! Watch it!" the boy protested, his green eyes ablaze with indignation.

"Maybe _you_ should be the one watching it," Ash snapped. Taking a long look at him, he detected the traces of psychic powers coming from the boy. "A witch," he nearly spat out. "And a Nightworld spy, probably." Roughly grabbing the kid by the collar, he dragged him back into the living room.

Mary-Lynnette had been fully focused on calming the cub, whose own sense of danger had been triggered by Ash's agitation. Running her hand up and down his back, she turned to the door when she heard Ash return. "Ash, honestly, what on earth –" catching sight of the boy, her eyes widened.

"No way. What are _you_ doing here?"

Ash blinked, his surprise strong enough to transform his face back into its human shape. "Wait - you actually know this kid?"

Mary-Lynnette shrugged, furrowing her eyebrows. "Sort of," she answered. "We met briefly – at the Iris."

* * *

Muahahahahaha. Cliff hangerz0r. Come on, raise your hands – who honestly expected to see _that_ kid again? 

This chapter was interesting to write. It's by far the longest single chapter that I've posted, but I decided to let the characters do what they needed to do. These next few installments should be interesting for us all, as some questions will be answered, and even more will present themselves. I'm not sure when II.6 will be out ... we'll try within the next couple of weeks, but I learned long ago not to make promises about updates!

By the way, all of the hotels, roads, etc. that our couple are using are real. No joke. So if you're uber obsessive like me, you can Google them and check out what these places look like.

And now, to reply to my reviewers. I love you. I worship you. You guys own me. Thank-you so much for your kind (and occasionally violent!) support. You're the reason I'm writing this at all. ;)

Angelic Chocolate Fairy: Yeah, this couple is definitely into the "I will suffer so that things will be easier for you" thing. It's a lot of fun to play with! I think that we've seen the majority of the person-to-person angst, though. Of course, being Mary-Lynnette and Ash, problems of some sort will _always_ arise. Thanks for the review!

Laura: Hehehe. I've never thought about Ash as the "King of Sweetness" before, but I imagine you're not far off. After all, a tough exterior generally masks a very sweet, sensitive interior. I'm glad you liked all of my fluff – trying to write it was a different experience altogether. I'm also happy that you're staying with me through this story (and all the edits!). You're one of my core readers and I really appreciate and pay attention to all of your reviews (especially when you post three times XDD)

Drowning Rooster: "Open mouth, insert foot" should be tattooed on to Ash's forehead. That way, whenever an occasion arises where he needs to use it, he can just _point_ instead. Sorry that this chapter took so long, hope you enjoyed it!

Dogs die in hot cars: Hehehe. I never "hesitate" to update. I pray that I can. I hope that I can. And then I look at my bedside clock and realize that I have to sleep at some point, and omgwhenamIgoingtodolaundry? ;) I was really pleased to see that you thought my characterization suited our couple. One of the difficulties with development away from the author's work is that you want them to still be recognizable as the originals, but you want them to grow and change at the same time. Thank-you so much for your kind words!

Wizzy: As we saw, Ash is going to settle into his paternal role a lot more than he thought he would. This has actually made me think about writing a smaller series (when this is all finished) about their children and married life. Nothing huge – just a few chapters. What do you think?

Aglaia Di Willow: Dude, I just figured out a few weeks ago that my NWCD clan _isn't _Di Willow. It's actually MacLeod – I used Di Willow whenever I RPed because I thought it sounded cooler. Alas, we're not direct kin after all. ;) I'm glad that you liked the chapter – it means a lot to me when I see one of your reviews, just because I know I really have to be at the top of my game. It's a personal goal for every chapter. XD

incarnated-soul: Sort of like I was saying to Dogs die in hot cars, I think that in some ways, any kind of fanfiction is going to take the original characters and make them out of character. I really want Ash to make some emotional progress during this story, so I need to have him do things/say things that he hasn't before. My goal, overall, is to still keep him recognizable as the snarky vampire that we love, while at the same time giving him a healthy dose of maturity and sensitivity. To answer your question, the perfume got on his pants just by virtue of the fact that Reina wears gallons of it and she was _all_ over him for a considerable length of time. :grins: And as to the pup being Jeremy's child, you know, I never even thought of that. That's really clever! I don't think I'll be heading in that direction ... but you never know. XD

Lunatic:intense blushing: Don't ever let L.J. Smith hear you say that! She'll sue me or something! It's awesome to hear that you were so taken in with the romance in the last chapter – it was definitely something that I was aiming for. As to the sex, I did toy with the idea briefly, but in the end it just felt funny to do because they've only been together for about six days. Soulmates or not, that's probably a bit much for them. O.o. Thank-you so much for your review – you've been with me since the beginning, and I really love seeing your responses!

WildFire070: I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate having had the chance to discuss these characters with you. Your review and our emails gave me a lot to think about, and they influenced some of the changes that I made in the earlier chapters. I hope that you enjoyed this latest installment – more action, more plot, and hopefully some questions to tantalize your imagination! ;)

Jalena: I'm the fastest updater on your favorite authors list? O.o. Actually, wait, I'm _on_ your favorite author's list? XDDDDD Yaaaaah! That's awesome! Thank-you so much for such a wonderful compliment. Seriously – that means a lot to know that you like my work on such a level. I hope you like the twists and turns that I have coming up!

Poppi Night: That's an amazing amount of validation! It pleases me to no end that you feel that these characters are still staying true to what L.J. Smith intended, and that their development hasn't taken them away from that original mold. The wolf cub is by far one of my favorite parts of this story – I was so relieved to finally get to him plot-wise, and I'm having a blast tossing in his quirks (as well as the questions and problems that he poses)! Thank you so much for reviewing

(Muahahaha! I'm drawing the story-stalkers out of their hiding places! XD)

Mental Twitch 'Sh33r's: Don't blame me for failing school! Blame alcohol and misused caffeine! Those are the _real_ culprits. XDD As to the adoration and mass amounts of praise, I return it all with ardent thanks and profuse appreciation. Your review was so encouraging, and I have to confess that I was extremely amused to see firsthand how my readers are affected by reading this beast from start to end. :evil laugh:  
Seriously, though, your words were absolutely wonderful to hear, and definitely kept me going throughout this last chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!

Ria: Caffeine is never a problem. I survived the end of the school year because I got a grande iced specialty latte EVERY DAY for three weeks straight. :twitch: On another note, yes, Ash was definitely being less vampire-ish and more human-ish in the last chapter. It's a hard thing to try to balance out, because I think L.J. Smith spends a lot of time focusing on how similar Nightpeople and Daypeople are, so that it's easy to forget that vampires are in _fact_ bloodsuckers. That was something I tried to drop back in here, just so that we remembered that there's a reason he doesn't like vegetables (besides the fact that he's ornery by nature!). Thanks for the voice of support!

Lalenna: I'm actually not even sure where to start responding to your review. You said so many encouraging, uplifting, amazing things, that the best I can come back with is "OMGThank-you!" XDD Ash is the very bright and obvious star of this story (he even has his own trailer outside of my apartment ... okay, he doesn't, but think of it in a metaphysical sense ;) ). His humor, his defenses, his depth, and after this past chapter, his "paternal stirrings" are so much fun to dive through, and he keeps me laughing more often than he doesn't (you should see some of the stuff I decided _not_ to put into this chapter!). Anyway, I hope that I can keep you happy throughout the rest of this story – we have some really interesting things coming up!

jellysnakes: Addiction to fanfiction is the spice of life. Your review made me laugh out loud ;) Thanks!

sneaky-cypher: w00t! Somebody else _besides_ me is up until 4 a.m. dealing with this fanfic! It's nice to know that I'm not alone in my obsession. XDD Your review came at just the right time and really helped to get me back to writing. Thank-you!

Jie: Our wolf-pup is still dealing with some severe emotional trauma, so, to be honest, even _I'm_ not sure when we'll see his true human form. I think we'll just have to wait and see how the story plays out. It could be the next chapter, or it could be the end of the story. Who knows? ;)

Shattered Immortality: Ah! There you are! I was wondering when you'd turn up. You're one of my core reviewers, man – don't leave me hanging like that! ;) And you are not pathetic – you are an honored and revered reviewer that caters to my ego and makes me indulge in my obsessive writer's nature. XDD Mary-Lynnette and Ash as parents is definitely a strange idea, but I'll be honest and say that it's growing on me. I actually have plans to do some kind of writing (when this is all over) describing some aspect of their married life. As to when I'll actually _get_ to that, who knows, but it's in the works!

Morrique: Of course Ash'll fall in love with the pup. It fits with the Universal Laws of Irony that we authors love to live by. The process, however, must be fraught with danger, the avoidance of dirty diapers, and more than one case of Ash being thrown up on. :chuckles: Your review was awesome – thank-you!

goldenshadows: I swear, I just don't know what it is ABOUT this pair that makes them everyone's favorite. Granted, Jez and Morgead are generally up there as well, but Ash and Mary-Lynnette just have a certain _something_ about them. I think you know what I mean. Maybe it's all the conflict and agitation – it just makes it all the more interesting and passionate. Anyway, I really appreciate you taking a minute to let me know what you think of the story. I hope you continue to enjoy it!

dragonelemental: I felt really bad making all the changes to the earlier chapters once I read that you'd gone and printed out The Whole Beast. :wince: Still, it was so flattering to know that you'd go to such lengths to keep the story accessible (I once did it with an absolutely amazing Mummy fanfiction ;)). I was also really happy to see that you approved of the way that their relationship is developing – that's the main point of The Beast, and it's extremely validating to know that people are enjoying the process. Thanks for the review!

lioness9055: Hehehehe. Like I said to dragonelemental, I'm sorry that I changed things around after you printed this whole thing out. Still, maybe you should keep it. If I ever become rich and famous, you can sell it on Ebay as a rough draft to my early work! Just kidding ;) Honestly, your review was very gratifying to receive, and I was so happy to hear how much you like the way I'm highlighting Mary-Lynnette and Ash's relationship. I look forward to any and all future feedback!

Undeveloped Story: I hope that I got this out soon enough so that you _didn't_ cry. I like being the inspiration for other people's emotions – but not in that way! And never, ever worry about reviewing long after I've made an update. Like I've said before, I hunger and thirst for validation and wondrous words of praise. I especially like knowing what it was in particular that people liked about various chapters (it tend to condition me so that I do _more_ of the well-received things). Thank-you for the review, and I hope you enjoy the rest of what I have to offer!

HM: Mrmph. Writing and publishing my own novels is something I'd _love_ to do one day, but I think my skills are still a bit on the raw side. Fanfiction is a great way to work out technique and to get practice with pacing and plot development (definitely two of my weakest areas). Still, it was so flattering to hear _you_ suggest it, and the rest of your comments gave me a nice kick in the arse to get back to the updating process. Congratulate yourself on being a major influence in keeping me at my writing desk this week. ;)

emma: LoL! Okay okay, you got your wish. And I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as humanly possible.

My god, there are a lot of you these days. Even though it may sound repetitive from response to response, please believe me when I say that you guys are the real force behind this story. Your words of encouragement, praise, criticism, and frustration (XD) are what keep this Beast alive. We have around nine more chapters to go (expect them to be rather lengthy) before we're done. The plan is to try and finish it by the end of the summer ... but we'll just have to see how things go.

Oh, and by the way, I know that one of you emailed me about a month ago with some absolutely amazing compliments and words of encouragement. I must not have saved it, though, so I can't quite remember who it was. Thank-you, to the reviewer that did it. I apologize that I never replied to you – I honestly meant to, and then my life sort of got away from me (...again). But seriously, it meant a lot to me.

And... that's it for now. I hope to be posting again sometime this month. See you then!


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